Skip to main content

Full text of "The prairie traveler. A hand-book for overland expeditions"

See other formats


Glass. 
Book. 


-  0€)3 


H 


\ 


^^ 


THE     '  f       fCt 


PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

A  HAND-BOOK  FOR 
OVERLAND   EXPEDITIONS. 


WITH  MAPS,  ILLUSTRATIONS,  AND  ITINERARIES  OF 

THE  PRINICIPAL  ROUTES  BETWEEN  THE 

MISSISSIPPI  AND  THE  PACIFIC. 


BY   RANDOLPH   B.   MARCY, 

CAPTAIN  IT.  S.  AKMY. 

rUBLISHED  BT  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  WAR  DEPAETMBNT. 

NEW  EDITI 


NEW    YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHER 

FF.\NKLIN    8QUAEE, 
1  861 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  sixty,  by 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District  of 
New  York. 


\\v 


PREFACE. 


A  QUARTER  of  a  centurj's  experience  in  fron- 
tier life,  a  great  portion  of  which  has  been  occu- 
pied in  exploring  the  interior  of  our  continent, 
and  in  long  marches  where  I  have  been  thrown 
exclusively  upon  my  own  resources,  far  beyond 
the  bounds  of  the  populated  districts,  and  where 
the  traveler  must  vary  his  expedients  to  sur- 
mount the  numerous  obstacles  which  the  nature 
of  the  country  continually  reproduces,  has  shown 
me  under  what  great  disadvantages  the  ''''voy- 
ageur^^  labors  for  want  of  a  timely  initiation  into 
those  minor  details  of  prairie-craft,  which,  how- 
ever apparently  unimportant  in  the  abstract,  are 
sure,  upon  the  plains,  to  turn  the  balance  of  suc- 
cess for  or  against  an  enterprise. 

This  information  is  so  varied,  and  is  derived 
from  so  many  different  sources,  that  I  still  find 
every  new  expedition  adds  substantially  to  my 
practical  knowledge,  and  am  satisfied  that  a  good 


VI  PREFxVCE. 

Prairie  Manual  will  be  for  the  young  traveler 
an  addition  to  his  equipment  of  inappreciable 
value. 

With  such  a  book  in  his  hand,  he  will  be  able, 
in  difficult  circumstances,  to  avail  himself  of  the 
matured  experience  of  veteran  travelers,  and 
thereby  avoid  many  otherwise  unforeseen  disas- 
ters ;  while,  during  the  ordinary  routine  of  march- 
ing, he  will  greatly  augment  the  sum  of  his  com- 
forts, avoid  many  serious  losses,  and  enjoy  a  com- 
parative exemption  from  doubts  and  anxieties. 
He  will  feel  himself  a  master  spirit  in  the  wilder- 
ness he  traverses,  and  not  the  victim  of  every 
new  combination  of  circumstances  which  nature 
affords  or  fate  allots,  as  if  to  try  his  skill  and 
prowess. 

I  have  waited  for  several  years,  with  the  con- 
fident expectation  that  some  one  more  competent 
than  myself  would  assume  the  task,  and  give  the 
public  the  desired  information  ;  but  it  seems  that 
no  one  has  taken  sufficient  interest  in  the  subject 
to  disseminate  the  benefits  of  his  experience  in 
this  way.  Our  frontier-men,  although  brave  in 
council  and  action,  and  possessing  an  intelligence 
that  quickens  in  the  face  of  danger,  are  apt  to 
feel  shy  of  the  pen.  They  shun  the  atmosphere 
of  the  student's  closet;  their  sphere  is  in  the 
free  and  open  wilderness.     It  is  not  to  be  won- 


PREFACE.  Vll 

dered  at,  therefore,  that  to  our  veteran  borderer 
the  field  of  literature  should  remain  a  "  terra  in- 
cogniiar  It  is  our  army  that  unites  the  chasm 
between  the  culture  of  civilization  in  the  aspect 
of  science,  art,  and  social  refinement,  and  the  pow- 
erful simplicity  of  nature.  On  leaving  the  Mili- 
tary Academy,  a  majority  of  our  officers  are  at- 
tached to  the  line  of  the  army,  and  forthwith  as- 
signed to  duty  upon  our  remote  and  extended 
frontier,  where  the  restless  and  warlike  habits  of 
the  nomadic  tribes  render  the  soldier's  life  almost 
as  unsettled  as  that  of  the  savages  themselves. 

A  regiment  is  stationed  to-day  on  the  borders 
of  tropical  Mexico ;  to-morrow,  the  war-whoop, 
borne  on  a  gale  from  the  northwest,  compels  its 
presence  in  the  frozen  latitudes  of  Puget's  Sound. 
The  very  limited  numerical  strength  of  our  army, 
scattered  as  it  is  over  a  vast  area  of  territory,  ne- 
cessitates constant  changes  of  stations,  long  and 
toilsome  marches,  a  promptitude  of  action,  and  a 
tireless  energy  and  self-reliance,  that  can  only  be 
acquired  through  an  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  sphere  in  which  we  act  and  move. 

The  education  of  our  officers  at  the  Military 
Academy  is  doubtless  well  adapted  to  the  art 
of  civilized  warfare,  but  can  not  familiarize  them 
with  the  diversified  details  of  border  service ;  and 
they  often,  at  the  outset  of  their  military  career, 


Vm  PEEFACE. 

find  themselves  compelled  to  improvise  new  ex- 
pedients to  meet  novel  emergences. 

The  life  of  the  wilderness  is  an  art  as  well  as 
that  of  the  city  or  court,  and  every  art  subjects 
its  votaries  to  discipline  in  preparing  them  for  a 
successful  career  in  its  pursuit.  The  Military 
Art,  as  enlarged  to  meet  all  the  requirements  of 
border  service,  the  savage  in  his  wiles  or  the  ele- 
ments in  their  caprices,  embraces  many  other 
special  arts  which  have  hitherto  been  almost  ig- 
nored, and  results  which  experience  and  calcula- 
tion should  have  guaranteed  have  been  improvi- 
dently  staked  upon  favorable  chances. 

The  main  object  at  which  I  have  aimed  in  the 
following  pages  has  been  to  explain  and  illus- 
trate, as  clearly  and  succinctly  as  possible,  the 
best  methods  of  performing  the  duties  devolving 
upon  the  prairie  traveler,  so  as  to  meet  their  con- 
tingencies under  all  circumstances,  and  thereby  to 
endeavor  to  establish  a  more  uniform  system  of 
marching  and  campaigning  in  the  Indian  coun- 
try. 

I  have  also  furnished  itineraries  of  most  of  the 
principal  routes  that  have  been  traveled  across 
the  plains,  taken  from  the  best  and  most  reliable 
authorities;  and  I  have  given  some  information 
concerning  the  habits  of  the  Indians  and  wild 
animals  that  frequent  the  prairies,  with  the  secrets 


PREFACE.  IX 

of  the  hunter's  and  warrior's  strategy,  which  I 
have  endeavored  to  impress  more  forcibly  upon 
the  reader  by  introducing  illustrative  anecdote. 

I  take  great  pleasure  in  acknowledging  my  in- 
debtedness to  several  ofiicers  of  the  Topographical 
Engineers  and  of  other  corps  of  the  army  for  the 
valuable  information  I  have  obtained  from  their 
official  reports  regarding  the  different  routes  em- 
braced in  the  itineraries,  and  to  these  gentlemen 
I  beg  leave  very  respectfully  to  dedicate  my 
book. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  different  Routes  to  California  and  Oregon. — Their  re- 
spective Advantages. — Organization  of  Companies. — Elec- 
tions of  Captains. — Wagons  and  Teams. — Relative  Merits 
of  Mules  and  Oxen. — Stores  and  Provisions. — How  packed. 
— Desiccated  and  canned  Vegetables. — Pemmican. — Anti- 
scorbutics.— Cold  Flour. — Substitutes  in  case  of  Necessity. 
—  Amount  of  Supplies.  —  Clothing.  —  Camp  Equipage.  — 
Arms Page  15 

CHAPTER  II. 

Marching. — Treatment  of  Animals. — Water. — Different  meth- 
ods of  finding  and  purifying  it. — Journadas. — Methods  of 
crossing  them. — Advance  and  Rear  Guards. — Selection  of 
Camp. — Sanitary  Considerations. — Dr.  Jackson's  Report. — 
Picket  Guards. — Stampedes. — How  to  prevent  them. — Cor- 
raling  Wagons 44: 

CHAPTER  III. 

Repairing  broken  Wagons. — Fording  Rivers. — Quicksand. — 
Wagon  Boats. — Bull  Boats. — Crossing  Packs. — Swimming 
Animals. — Marching  with  loose  Horses. — Herding  Mules. 
— Best  Methods  of  Marching. — Herding  and  guarding  Ani- 
mals.— Descending  Mountains. — Stomas. — Northers....  71 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Packing.  —  Saddles.  —  Mexican  Method.  —  Madrina,  or  Bell- 
mare. — Attachment  of  the  Mule  illustrated. — Best  Method 


XU  CONTENTS. 

of  Packing.  —  Hoppling  Animals.  —  Selecting  Horses  and 
Mules. — Grama  and  bunch  Grass. — European  Saddles. — 
California  Saddle.  —  Saddle  Wounds.  —  Alkali.  —  Flies. — 
Colic. — Rattlesnake  Bites. — Cures  for  the  Bite Page  98 

CHAPTER  V. 

Bivouacs.  —  Tente  d' Abri.  —  Gutta-percha  Knapsack  Tent.  — 
Comanche  Lodge. — Sibley  Tent.— Camp  Furniture. — Lit- 
ters.— Rapid  Traveling. — Fuel. — Making  Fires. — Fires  on 
the  Praii'ies. — Jerking  Meat. — Making  Lariats. — Making 
Caches.  —  Disposition  of  Fire-arms. — Colt's  Revolvers.  — 
Gun  Accidents. — Trailing. — Indian  Sagacity 133 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Guides  and  Hunters. — Delawares  and  Shawnees. — Khebirs. — 
Black  Beaver. — Anecdotes. — Domestic  Troubles. — Lodges. 
— Similarity  of  Prairie  Tribes  to  the  Arabs. — Method  of 
making  War. — Tracking  and  pursuing  Indians. — Method 
of  attacking  them.  — Telegraphing  by  Smokes 183 

CHAPTER  VIL 
Hunting. — Its  Benefits  to  the  Soldier. — Buffalo. — Deer. — An- 
telope.—  Bear. — Big-horn,  or  Mountain  Sheep. — Their 
Habits,    and    Hints    upon    the    best   Methods    of  hunting 
them 230 

Itineraries 269 

Appendix 375 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Map  of  Overland  Eontes at  end  of  volume. 

Port  Smith,  Arkansas Frontispiece. 

Swimming  a  Horse 78 

Diagram  for  Measurements 81 

Crossing  a  Stream 87 

Grimsley's  Pack-saddle 99 

California  Saddle 119 

Half-faced  Camp 134 

Conical  Bivonac ^ 135 

Tent  Knapsack 137 

Comanche  Lodge 140 

Sibley  Tent „ 143 

Camp  Chairs 14o 

Camp  Table— Field  Cot 14G 

Field  Cot— Camp  Bureau 148 

Mess-chest 149 

Horse-litter 151 

Hand-litter 154 

The  Grizzly 167 

Horse-tracks 178 

Keep  aAvay  ! 209 

Buffalo  and  other  Tracks 231 

Rifle-sights  and  Pouch 249 

Calling  up  Antelopes 262 

The  Needles 270 

Chimney  Rock 285 

Devil's  Gate 287 

Well  in  the  Desert 308 

Map  of  the  Pike's  Peak  Gold  Region 312 

Sangre  de  Cristo  Pass 316 

San  Francisco  Mountain 325 

Canon  on  Bill  Williams's  Fork 328 

Artillery  Peak 329 

India-rubber  Cloak 375 


THE   PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  dift'erent  Routes  to  California  and  Oregon.— Their  re- 
spective Advantages. — Organization  of  Companies. — Elec- 
tions of  Captains. — Wagons  and  Teams. — Relative  Merits 
of  Mules  and  Oxen. — Stores  and  Provisions. — How  packed. 
— Desiccated  and  canned  Vegetables. — Pemmican. — Anti- 
scorbutics.— Cold  Flour. — Substitutes  in  case  of  Necessity. — 
Amount  of  Supplies. — Clothing. — Camp  Equipage. — Arms. 

ROUTES  TO  CALIFORNIA  AND  OREGON. 

Emigrants  or  others  desiring  to  make  the  over- 
land journey  to  the  Pacific  should  bear  in  mind  that 
there  are  several  different  routes  which  may  be 
traveled  with  wagons,  each  having  its  advocates  in 
persons  directly  or  indirectly  interested  in  attract- 
ing the  tide  of  emigration  and  travel  over  them. 

Information  concerning  these  routes  coming  from 
strangers  living  or  owning  property  near  them,  from 
agents  of  steam-boats  or  railways,  or  from  other 
persons  connected  with  transportation  companies, 
should  be  received  with  great  caution,  and  never 
without  corroborating  evidence  from  disinterested 
sources. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  each  one  of  these  roads 


16  PKAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

has  its  advantages  and  disadvantages,  but  a  judi- 
cious selection  must  depend  chiefly  upon  the  fol« 
lowing  considerations,  namely,  the  locality  from 
whence  the  individual  is  to  take  his  departure, 
the  season  of  the  year  when  he  desires  to  com- 
mence his  journey,  the  character  of  his  means  of 
transjDortation,  and  the  point  upon  the  Pacific  coast 
that  he  wishes  to  reach. 

Persons  living  in  the  Northeastern  States  can, 
with  about  equal  ficility  and  dispatch,  reach  the 
eastern  terminus  of  any  one  of  the  routes  they  may 
select  by  means  of  public  transport.  And,  as  ani- 
mals are  much  cheaper  upon  the  frontier  than  in  the 
Eastern  States,  they  should  purchase  their  teams  at 
or  near  the  point  where  the  overland  journey  is  to 
commence. 

Those  living  in  the  Northwestern  States,  having 
their  own  teams,  and  wishing  to  go  to  any  point 
north  of  San  Francisco,  will  of  course  make  choice 
of  the  route  which  takes  its  departure  from  the 
Missouri  Iliver. 

Those  who  live  in  the  middle  Western  States, 
having  their  own  means  of  transportation,  and  going 
to  any  pohit  upon  the  Pacific  coast,  should  take  one 
of  the  middle  routes. 

Others,  who  reside  in  the  extreme  Southwest,  and 
whose  destination  is  south  of  San  Francisco,  should 
travel  the  southern  road  running  through  Texas, 
\vhi(;h  is  the  only  one  practicable  for  comfortable 
whiter  travel.     The  grass  upon  a  great  portion  of 


ROUTES   TO    CALIFORNIA    AND    OREGON.  17 

this  route  is  green  during  the  entire  winter,  and 
snow  seldom  covers  it.  This  road  leaves  the  Gulf 
coast  at  Poicder-horn^  on  Matagorda  Bay,  which 
point  is  difficult  of  access  by  land  from  the  north, 
but  may  be  reached  by  steamers  from  New  Orleans 
five  times  a  week. 

There  are  stores  at  Powder-horn  and  Indianola 
where  the  traveler  can  obtain  most  of  the  articles 
necessary  for  his  journey,  but  I  would  recommend 
him  to  supply  himself  before  leaving  New  Orleans 
with  every  thing  he  requires  with  the  exception  of 
animals,  which  he  will  find  cheaper  in  Texas. 

This  road  has  received  a  large  amount  of  travel 
since  1849,  is  well  tracked  and  defined,  and,  except- 
ing about  twenty  miles  of  '•'•  hog  loalloio  prairie)'' 
near  Powder-horn,  it  is  an  excellent  road  for  car- 
riages and  wagons.  It  passes  through  a  settled 
country  for  250  miles,  and  within  this  section  sup- 
plies can  be  had  at  reasonable  rates. 

At  Victoria  and  San  Antonio  many  fine  stores 
will  be  found,  well  supphed  with  large  stocks  of 
goods,  embracing  all  the  articles  the  traveler  will 
require. 

The  next  route  to  the  north  is  that  over  which 
the  semi- weekly  mail  to  California  passes,  and  which, 
for  a  great  portion  of  the  way  to  New  Mexico,  I 
traveled  and  recommended  in  1849.  This  road 
leaves  the  Arkansas  River  at  Fort  Smith,  to  which 
point  steamers  run  during  the  seasons  of  high  water 
in  the  winter  and  spring. 
B 


18  PEAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

Supplies  of  all  descriptions  necessary  for  the  over- 
land journey  may  be  procured  at  Fort  Smith,  or  at 
Van  Buren  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Arkansas. 
Horses  and  cattle  are  cheap  here.  The  road,  on 
leaving  Fort  Smith,  j)asses  through  the  Choctaw  and 
Chickasaw  country  for  180  nules,  then  crosses  Red 
Kiver  by  ferry-boat  at  Preston,  and  runs  through 
the  border  settlements  of  northern  Texas  for  150 
miles,  within  which  distances  supplies  may  be  pro- 
cured at  moderate  prices. 

This  road  is  accessible  to  persons  desiring  to 
make  the  entire  journey  wdth  their  own  transporta- 
tion from  Tennessee  or  Mississippi,  by  crossmg  the 
Mississippi  River  at  Memphis  or  Helena,  passing 
Little  Rock,  and  thence  through  Washington  Coun- 
ty, intersecting  the  road  at  Preston.  It  may  also 
be  reached  by  taking  steamers  up  Red  River  to 
Shreveport  or  Jefferson,  from  either  of  which  places 
there  are  roads  running  through  a  populated  coun- 
try, and  intersecting  the  Fort  Smith  road  near 
Preston. 

This  road  also  unites  with  the  San  Antonio  road 
at  El  Paso,  and  from  that  point  they  pass  together 
over  the  mountains  to  Fort  Yuma  and  to  San  Fran- 
cisco in  California. 

Another  road  leaves  Fort  Smith  and  runs  up  the 
south  side  of  the  Canadian  River  to  Santa  Fe  and 
Albuquerque  in  New  Mexico. 

This  route  is  set  down  upon  most  of  the  maps  of 
the  present  day  as  having  been  discovered  and  ex- 


EOUTES   TO    CALIFOENIA   AND    OREGON.  19 

plored  by  various  i)ersons,  but  my  own  name  seems 
to  have  been  carefully  excluded  from  the  list. 
"Whether  this  omission  has  been  intentional  or  not, 
I  leave  for  the  authors  to  determine.  I  shall  merely 
remark  that  I  had  the  command  and  entire  direc- 
tion of  an  expedition  which  in  1849  discovered, 
explored,  located,  and  marked  out  this  identical 
wagon  road  from  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  Santa 
Fe,  New  Mexico,  and  that  this  road,  for  the  greater 
portion  of  the  distance,  is  the  same  that  has  been 
since  recommended  for  a  Pacific  railway. 

This  road,  near  Albuquerque,  unites  with  Captain 
"Whipple's  and  Lieutenant  Beall's  roads  to  California. 

Another  road,  which  takes  its  departure  from 
Fort  Smith  and  passes  through  the  Cherokee  coun- 
try, is  called  the  "  Cherokee  Trail."  It  crosses 
Grand  River  at  Fort  Gibson,  and  runs  a  little  north 
of  west  to  the  Verdigris  River,  thence  up  the  valley 
of  this  stream  on  the  north  side  for  80  miles,  when 
it  crosses  the  river,  and,  taking  a  northwest  course, 
strikes  the  Arkansas  River  near  old  Fort  Mann,  on 
the  Santa  Fe  trace ;  thence  it  passes  near  the  base 
of  Pike's  Peak,  and  follows  down  Cherry  Creek  from 
its  source  to  its  confluence  with  the  South  Platte, 
and  from  thence  over  the  mountains  into  Utah,  and 
on  to  California  via  Fort  Bridger  and  Salt  Lake 
City. 

For  persons  who  desire  to  go  from  the  Southern 
States  to  the  gold  diggings  in  the  vicinity  of  Cherry 
Creek,  this  route  is  shorter  by  some  300  miles  than 


20  PRAIEIE   TEAVELER. 

that  from  Fort  Smith  via  Fort  Leavenworth.  It  is 
said  to  be  an  excellent  road,  and  well  supplied  with 
the  requisites  for  encamping.  It  has  been  traveled 
by  large  parties  of  California  emigrants  for  several 
years,  and  is  well  tracked  and  defined. 

The  grass  upon  all  the  roads  leavmg  Fort  Smith 
is  sufiiciently  advanced  to  afford  sustenance  to  ani- 
mals by  the  first  of  April,  and  from  this  time  until 
winter  sets  in  it  is  abundant.  The  next  route  on 
the  north  leaves  the  Missouri  River  at  Westport, 
Leavenworth  City,  Atcheson,  or  from  other  towns 
above,  between  either  of  which  points  and  St.  Louis 
steamers  ply  during  the  entire  summer  season. 

The  necessary  outfit  of  supplies  can  always  be 
procured  at  any  of  the  starting-points  on  the  Mis- 
souri Kiver  at  moderate  rates. 

This  is  the  great  emigrant  route  from  Missouri 
to  California  and  Oregon,  over  which  so  many 
thousands  have  traveled  within  the  past  few  years. 
The  track  is  broad,  well  worn,  and  can  not  be  mis- 
taken. It  has  received  the  major  part  of  the  Mor- 
mon emigration,  and  was  traversed  by  the  army  m 
its  march  to  Utah  in  1857. 

At  the  point  where  this  road  crosses  the  South 
Platte  River,  Lieutenant  Bryan's  road  branches  off 
to  the  left,  leading  through  Bridger's  Pass,  and 
thence  to  Fort  Bridger.  The  Fort  Kearney  route 
to  the  ecold  rcGfion  near  Pike's  Peak  also  leaves  the 
emigrant  road  at  this  place  and  runs  n]i  the  South 
Platte. 


EOUTES  TO  CALIFOENIA  AND  OEEGON.     21 

From  Fort  Bridger  there  are  two  roads  that  may 
be  traveled  with  wagons  in  the  direction  of  Califor- 
nia ;  one  passing  Salt  Lake  City,  and  the  other  run- 
ning down  Bear  River  to  Soda  Sj^rings,  intersecting 
the  Salt  Lake  City  road  at  the  City  of  Bocks. 
Near  Soda  Springs  the  Oregon  road  turns  to  the 
right,  passmg  Fort  Hall,  and  thence  down  Snake 
River  to  Fort  Wallah-Wallah.  Unless  travelers 
have  business  in  Salt  Lake  Valley,  I  would  advise 
them  to  take  the  Bear  River  route,  as  it  is  much 
shorter,  and  better  in  every  resjoect.  The  road,  on 
leaving  the  Missouri  River,  passes  for  150  miles 
through  a  settled  country  where  grain  can  be  pur- 
chased cheap,  and  there  are  several  stores  in  this 
section  where  most  of  the  articles  required  by  trav- 
elers can  be  obtained. 

Many  j)ersons  who  have  had  much  experience  in 
prairie  travelmg  prefer  leaving  the  Missouri  River 
in  March  or  April,  and  feeding  grain  to  their  ani- 
mals until  the  new  grass  appears.  The  roads  be- 
come muddy  and  heavy  after  the  S]3ring  rains  set 
in,  and  by  starting  out  early  the  worst  part  of  the 
road  will  be  passed  over  before  the  ground  becomes 
wet  and  soft.  This  plan,  however,  should  never  be 
attempted  unless  the  animals  are  well  supplied  with 
grain,  and  kept  in  good  condition.  They  will  eat 
the  old  grass  in  the  spring,  but  it  does  not,  in  this 
climate,  as  in  Utah  and  New  Mexico,  afford  them 
sufficient  sustenance. 

The  grass,  after  the  1st  of  May,  is  good  and 


22  PEAIKIE   TRAVELEK. 

abundant  upon  this  road  as  far  as  the  South  Pass, 
from  whence  there  is  a  section  of  about  50  miles 
where  it  is  scarce ;  there  is  also  a  scarcity  upon  the 
desert  beyond  the  sink  of  the  Humboldt.  As  large 
niunbers  of  cattle  pass  over  the  road  annually,  they 
soon  consume  all  the  grass  in  these  barren  local- 
ities, and  such  as  pass  late  in  the  season  are  likely 
to  suffer  greatly,  and  oftentimes  perish  from  starva- 
tion. When  I  came  over  the  road  in  August,  1858, 
I  seldom  found  myself  out  of  sight  of  dead  cattle 
for  500  miles  along  the  road,  and  this  was  an  un- 
usually favorable  year  for  grass,  and  before  the 
main  body  of  animals  had  passed  for  that  season. 

Upon  the  head  of  the  Sweetwater  River,  and 
west  of  the  South  Pass,  alkaline  springs  are  met 
with,  which  are  exceedingly  poisonous  to  cattle  and 
horses.  They  can  readily  be  detected  by  the  yel- 
lowish-red color  of  the  grass  growing  around  them. 
Animals  should  never  be  allowed  to  graze  near  them 
or  to  drink  the  water. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  COMPANIES. 

After  a  particular  route  has  been  selected  to  make 
the  journey  across  the  plains,  and  the  requisite  num- 
ber have  arrived  at  the  eastern  terminus,  their  first 
business  should  be  to  organize  themselves  into  a 
company  and  elect  a  commander.  The  company 
should  be  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  herd  and  guard 
animals,  and  for  protection  against  Indians. 

From  50  to  70  men,  properly  armed  and  equip- 


ORGANIZATION    OF    COMPANIES.  23 

ped,  will  be  enough  for  these  purposes,  and  any 
greater  number  only  makes  the  movements  of  the 
party  more  cumbersome  and  tardy. 

In  the  selection  of  a  captain,  good  judgment,  in- 
tegrity of  purpose,  and  practical  experience  are  the 
essential  requisites,  and  these  are  indispensable  to 
the  harmony  and  consolidation  of  the  association. 
His  duty  should  be  to  direct  the  order  of  march, 
the  time  of  starting  and  halting,  to  select  the  camps, 
detail  and  give  orders  to  guards,  and,  indeed,  to 
control  and  superintend  all  the  movements  of  the 
company. 

An  obligation  should  then  be  drawn  up  and  sign- 
ed by  all  the  members  of  the  association,  wherein 
each  one  should  bind  himself  to  abide  in  all  cases 
by  the  orders  and  decisions  of  the  captain,  and  to 
aid  him  by  every  means  in  his  power  in  the  execu- 
tion of  his  duties ;  and  they  should  also  obligate 
themselves  to  aid  each  other,  so  as  to  make  the  in- 
dividual interest  of  each  member  the  common  con- 
cern of  the  whole  company.  To  insure  this,  a  fund 
should  be  raised  for  the  purchase  of  extra  animals 
to  supply  the  places  of  those  which  may  give  out 
or  die  on  the  road ;  and  if  the  wagon  or  team  of  a 
particular  member  should  fail  and  have  to  be  aban- 
doned, the  company  should  obligate  themselves  to 
transport  his  luggage,  and  the  captain  should  see 
that  he  has  his  share  of  transportation  equal  with 
any  other  member.  Thus  it  will  be  made  the  in- 
terest of  every  member  of  the  company  to  watch 


24  PEAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

over  and  protect  the  proj^erty  of  others  as  well  as 
his  own. 

In  case  of  failure  on  the  part  of  any  one  to  com- 
ply with  the  obligations  imposed  by  the  articles  of 
agreement  after  they  have  been  duly  executed,  the 
company  should  of  course  have  the  power  to  punish 
the  delinquent  member,  and,  if  necessary,  to  exclude 
him  from  all  the  benefits  of  the  association. 

On  such  a  journey  as  this,  there  is  much  to  in- 
terest and  amuse  one  who  is  fond  of  picturesque 
scenery,  and  of  wild  life  in  its  most  primitive  aspect, 
yet  no  one  should  attempt  it  without  anticipating 
many  rough  knocks  and  much  hard  labor ;  every 
man  must  expect  to  do  his  share  of  duty  faithfully 
and  without  a  murmur. 

On  long  and  arduous  expeditions  men  are  apt  to 
become  irritable  and  ill-natured,  and  oftentunes  fan- 
cy they  have  more  labor  imposed  upon  them  than 
their  comrades,  and  that  the  person  who  directs  the 
march  is  partial  toward  his  favorites,  etc.  That 
man  who  exercises  the  greatest  forbearance  under 
such  circumstances,  who  is  cheerful,  slow  to  take 
up  quarrels,  and  endeavors  to  reconcile  difiiculties 
among  his  companions,  is  deserving  of  all  praise, 
and  will,  without  doubt,  contribute  largely  to  the 
success  and  comfort  of  an  expedition. 

The  advantages  of  an  association  such  as  I  have 
mentioned  are  manifestly  numerous.  The  animals 
can  be  herded  together  and  guarded  by  the  differ- 
ent members  of  the  company  m  rotation,  thereby 


WAGONS    AND   TEAMS.  25 

securing  to  all  the  oj^portunities  of  sleep  and  rest. 
Besides,  this  is  the  only  way  to  resist  depredations 
of  the  Indians,  and  to  prevent  their  stampeding 
and  driving  off  animals ;  and  much  more  efficiency 
is  secm-ed  in  every  respect,  especially  in  crossing 
streams,  repairing  roads,  etc.,  etc. 

Unless  a  systematic  organization  be  adopted,  it 
is  impossible  for  a  party  of  any  magnitude  to  travel 
in  company  for  any  great  length  of  time,  and  for  all 
the  members  to  agree  upon  the  same  arrangements 
in  marching,  camping,  etc.  I  have  several  times  ob- 
served, where  this  has  been  attempted,  that  discords 
and  dissensions  sooner  or  later  arose  which  invari- 
ably residted  in  breaking  up  and  separating  the 
company. 

When  a  captain  has  once  been  chosen,  he  should 
be  sustained  in  all  his  decisions  unless  he  commit 
some  manifest  outrage,  when  a  majority  of  the  com- 
pany can  always  remove  him,  and  j^ut  a  more  com- 
petent man  in  his  place.  Sometimes  men  may  be 
selected  who,  upon  trial,  do  not  come  up  to  the  an- 
ticipations of  those  who  have  placed  them  in  power, 
and  other  men  will  exhibit,  during  the  course  of 
the  march,  more  capacity.  Under  these  circum- 
stances it  wiU  not  be  unwise  to  make  a  change,  the 
first  election  having  been  distinctly  provisional. 

WAGONS  AND  TEAMS. 

A  company  having  been  organized,  its  first  inter- 
est is  to  procure  a  proper  outfit  of  transportation 
and  supplies  for  the  contemplated  journey. 


26  PRAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

Wagons  should  be  of  the  simplest  possible  con- 
struction— strong,  light,  and  made  of  well-seasoned 
timber,  especially  the  wheels,  as  the  atmosphere,  in 
the  elevated  and  arid  region  over  which  they  have 
to  pass,  is  so  exceedingly  dry  during  the  summer 
months  that,  unless  the  wood-work  is  thoroughly 
seasoned,  they  will  require  constant  repairs  to  pre- 
vent them  from  falhng  to  pieces. 

Wheels  made  of  the  bois-d'arc,  or  Osage  orange- 
wood,  are  the  best  for  the  plains,  as  they  shrink  but 
little,  and  seldom  want  repairing.  As,  however, 
this  wood  is  not  easily  procured  in  the  I^orthern 
States,  white  oak  answers  a  very  good  purpose  if 
well  seasoned. 

Spring  wagons  made  in  Concord,  N'ew  Hamp- 
shire, are  used  to  transport  passengers,  and  the 
mails  upon  some  of  the  routes  across  the  plams,  and 
they  are  said,  by  those  who  have  used  them,  to  be 
much  superior  to  any  others.  They  are  made  of 
the  close-grained  oak  that  grows  in  a  high  northern 
latitude,  and  well  seasoned. 

The  pole  of  the  wagon  should  have  a  jomt  where 
it  enters  the  hounds,  to  prevent  the  weight  from 
coming  upon  it  and  breakmg  the  hounds  in  pass- 
ing short  and  abrupt  holes  in  the  road. 

The  perch  or  coupling-pole  should  be  shifting  or 
movable,  as,  in  the  event  of  the  loss  of  a  wheel,  an 
axle,  or  other  accident  rendering  it  necessary  to 
abandon  the  wagon,  a  temporary  cart  may  be  con- 
structed out  of  the  remaining  portion.     The  tu'es 


WAGONS    A]tfD   TEAMS.  27 

should  be  examined  just  before  commencing  the 
journey,  and,  if  not  perfectly  snug,  reset. 

One  of  the  chief  causes  of  accidents  to  carriages 
upon  the  plains  arises  from  the  nuts  coming  off  from 
the  numerous  bolts  that  secure  the  running  gear- 
ing. To  prevent  this,  the  ends  of  all  the  bolts 
should  be  riveted ;  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  take 
them  off,  and  when  this  is  required  the  ends  of  the 
bolts  may  easily  be  filed  away. 

Wagons  with  six  mules  should  never,  on  a  long 
journey  over  the  prairies,  be  loaded  with  over  2000 
l^ounds,  unless  grain  is  transported,  when  an  ad- 
ditional thousand  pounds  may  be  taken,  provided  it 
is  fed  out  daily  to  the  team.  When  grass  consti- 
tutes the  only  forage,  2000  jDOunds  is  deemed  a  suf- 
ficient load.  I  regard  our  government  wagons  as 
unnecessarily  heavy  for  six  mules.  There  is  sufii- 
cient  material  in  them  to  sustain  a  burden  of  4000 
pounds,  but  they  are  seldom  loaded  with  more  than 
half  that  weight.  Every  wagon  should  be  furnish- 
ed with  substantial  bows  and  double  osnaburg  cov- 
ers, to  protect  its  contents  from  the  sun  and  weather. 

There  has  been  much  discussion  regarding  the 
relative  merits  of  mules  and  oxen  for  prairie  travel- 
ing, and  the  question  is  yet  far  from  being  settled. 
Upon  good  firm  roads,  in  a  populated  country, 
where  grain  can  be  procured,  I  should  unquestion- 
ably give  the  preference  to  mules,  as  they  travel 
faster,  and  endure  the  heat  of  summer  much  better 
than  oxen;   and  if  the  journey  be  not  over  1000 


28  PEAIKIE   TEAVELEK. 

miles,  and  the  grass  abundant,  even  without  grain, 
I  think  mules  would  be  preferable.  But  when  the 
march  is  to  extend  1500  or  2000  miles,  or  over  a 
rough  sandy  or  muddy  road,  I  believe  young  oxen 
will  endure  better  than  mules ;  they  wiU,  if  properly 
managed,  keep  in  better  condition,  and  perform  the 
journey  in  an  equally  brief  sjoace  of  time.  Besides, 
they  are  much  more  economical,  a  team  of  six 
mules  costing  six  hundred  dollars,  while  an  eight-ox 
team  only  costs  upon  the  frontier  about  two  hund- 
red dollars.  Oxen  are  much  less  liable  to  be 
stampeded  and  driven  off  by  Indians,  and  can  be 
pursued  and  overtaken  by  horsemen ;  and,  finally, 
they  can,  if  necessary,  be  used  for  beef. 

In  Africa  oxen  are  used  as  saddle  animals,  and  it 
is  said  that  they  perform  good  service  in  this  way. 
This  will  probably  be  regarded  by  our  people  as  a 
very  undignified  and  singular  method  of  locomotion, 
but,  in  the  absence  of  any  other  means  of  transj^ort- 
ation  upon  a  long  journey,  a  saddle-ox  might  be 
found  serviceable. 

Andersson,  in  his  work  on  Southwestern  Africa, 
says :  "  A  short  strong  stick,  of  peculiar  shape,  is 
forced  through  the  cartilage  of  the  nose  of  the  ox, 
and  to  either  end  of  this  stick  is  attached  (in  bridle 
fashion)  a  tough  leathern  thong.  From  the  extreme 
tenderness  of  the  nose  he  is  now  more  easily  man- 
aged." "  Hans  presented  me  with  an  ox  called 
'  Spring,'  which  I  afterward  rode  upward  of  two 
thousand  miles.     On  the  day  of  our  departm*e  he 


WAGONS   AND   TEAMS.  29 

mounted  us  all  on  oxen,  and  a  curious  sight  it  was 
to  see  some  of  the  men  take  their  seats  who  had 
never  before  ridden  on  ox-back.  It  is  impossible  to 
guide  an  ox  as  one  would  guide  a  horse,  for  in  the 
attempt  to  do  so  you  would  instantly  jerk  the  stick 
out  of  his  nose,  which  at  once  deprives  you  of  every 
control  over  the  beast ;  but  by  pulling  hoth  sides  of 
the  bridle  at  the  same  time,  and  toward  the  side 
you  wish  him  to  take,  he  is  easily  managed.*  Your 
seat  is  not  less  awkward  and  difficult ;  for  the  skui 
of  the  ox,  unlike  that  of  the  horse,  is  loose,  and,  not- 
withstanding your  saddle  may  be  tightly  girthed, 
you  keep  rocking  to  and  fro  like  a  child  in  a  cradle. 
A  few  days,  however,  enables  a  person  to  acquire  a 
certain  steadiness,  and  long  habit  will  do  the  rest." 

"  Ox  traveling,  when  once  a  man  becomes  accus- 
tomed to  it,  is  not  so  disagreeable  as  might  be  ex- 
pected, particularly  if  one  succeeds  in  obtaining  a 
tractable  animal.  On  emergencies,  an  ox  can  be 
made  to  proceed  at  a  tolerable  quick  pace;  for, 
though  his  walk  is  only  about  three  miles  an  hour 
at  an  average,  he  may  be  made  to  perform  double 
that  distance  in  the  same  time.  Mr.  Galton  once 
accomplished  24  miles  in  four  hours,  and  that,  too, 
through  heavy  sand !" 

Cows  will  be  fomid  very  useful  upon  long  jour- 
neys when  the  rate  of  travel  is  slow,  as  they  furnish 
milk,  and  in  emergencies  they  may  be  worked  in 

*  A  ring  instead  of  the  stick  put  through  the  cartilage  of  the 
nose  would  obviate  this  difficulty. — Author. 


30  '  PRAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

wagons.  I  once  saw  a  small  cow  yoked  beside  a 
large  ox,  and  driven  about  six  hundred  miles  attach- 
ed to  a  loaded  wagon,  and  she  performed  her  part 
equally  well  with  the  ox.  It  has  been  by  no  means 
an  unusual  thing  for  emigrant  travelers  to  work 
cows  in  their  teams. 

The  inhabitants  of  Pembina,  on  Red  River,  work 
a  single  ox  harnessed  in  shafts  like  a  horse,  and  they 
transport  a  thousand  pounds  in  a  rude  cart  made 
entirely  of  wood,  without  a  particle  of  iron.  One 
man  drives  and  takes  the  entire  charge  of  eight  or 
ten  of  these  teams  upon  long  journeys.  This  is  cer- 
tainly a  very  economical  method  of  transportation. 

STORES  AND  PROVISIONS. 

Supplies  for  a  march  should  be  put  up  in  the  most 
secure,  compact,  and  portable  shape. 

Bacon  should  be  packed  in  strong  sacks  of  a  hund- 
red pounds  to  each ;  or,  in  very  hot  climates,  put  in 
boxes  and  surrounded  with  bran,  which  in  a  great 
measure  prevents  the  fat  from  melting  away. 

If  pork  be  used,  in  order  to  avoid  transporting 
about  forty  per  cent,  of  useless  weight,  it  should  be 
taken  out  of  the  barrels  and  packed  like  the  bacon ; 
then  so  placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  wagons  as  to 
keep  it  cool.  The  pork,  if  well  cured,  will  keep  sev- 
eral months  in  this  way,  but  bacon  is  preferable. 

Flour  should  be  packed  in  stout  double  canvas 
sacks  well  sewed,  a  hundred  pounds  in  each  sack. 

Butter  may  be  preserved  by  boiling  it  thoroughly, 


STOKES   AND   PROVISIONS.  31 

and  skimming  off  the  scum  as  it  rises  to  the  top  un- 
til it  is  quite  clear  like  oil.  It  is  then  placed  in  tin 
canisters  and  soldered  up.  This  mode  of  preserv- 
ing butter  has  been  adopted  in  the  hot  climate  of 
southern  Texas,  and  it  is  found  to  keep  sweet  for  a 
great  length  of  time,  and  its  flavor  is  but  little  im- 
paired by  the  process. 

Sugar  may  be  well  secured  in  India-rubber  or 
gutta-percha  sacks,  or  so  placed  in  the  wagon  as 
not  to  risk  getting  wet. 

Desiccated  or  dried  vegetables  are  almost  equal 
to  the  fresh,  and  are  put  up  in  such  a  compact  and 
portable  form  as  easily  to  be  transported  over  the 
plains.  They  have  been  extensively  used  in  the 
Crimean  war,  and  by  our  own  army  in  Utah,  and 
have  been  very  generally  approved.  They  are  pre- 
pared by  cutting  the  fresh  vegetables  into  thin  slices 
and  subjecting  them  to  a  very  powerful  press,  which 
removes  the  juice  and  leaves  a  soHd  cake,  which, 
after  having  been  thoroughly  dried  in  an  oven, 
becomes  almost  as  hard  as  a  rock.  A  small  piece 
of  this,  about  half  the  size  of  a  man's  hand,  when 
boiled,  swells  up  so  as  to  fill  a  vegetable  dish,  and 
is  sufficient  for  four  men.  It  is  believed  that  the 
antiscorbutic  properties  of  vegetables  are  not  im- 
paired by  desiccation,  and  they  will  keep  for  years 
if  not  exposed  to  dampness.  Canned  vegetables 
are  very  good  for  campaigning,  but  are  not  so  port- 
able as  when  put  up  in  the  other  form.  The  desic- 
cated vegetables  used  in  our  army  have  been  pre- 
pared by  Chollet  and  Co.,  46  Rue  Richer,  Paris. 


32  PEAIRIE   TEAVELEE. 

There  is  an  agency  for  them  in  Xew  York.  I  re- 
gard these  compressed  vegetables  as  the  best  prep- 
aration for  prairie  travehng  that  has  yet  been  dis- 
covered. A  single  ration  weighs,  before  being 
boiled,  only  an  omice,  and  a  cubic  yard  contains 
16,000  rations.  In  making  up  their  outfit  for  the 
plains,  men  are  very  prone  to  overload  their  teams 
with  a  great  variety  of  useless  articles.  It  is  a  good 
rule  to  carry  nothing  more  than  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  use  upon  the  journey.  One  can  not  exjoect, 
with  the  limited  allowance  of  transportation  that 
emigrants  usually  have,  to  indulge  in  luxuries  upon 
such  expeditions,  and  articles  for  use  in  California 
can  be  purchased  there  at  less  cost  than  that  of 
overland  transport. 

The  allowance  of  provisions  for  men  in  marching 
should  be  much  greater  than  when  they  take  no 
exercise.  The  army  ration  I  have  always  found  in- 
sufficient for  soldiers  who  perform  hard  service,  yet 
it  is  ample  for  them  when  in  quarters. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  subsist- 
ence consumed  per  day  by  each  man  of  Dr.  Rae's 
party,  in  his  spring  journey  to  the  Arctic  regions 
of  North  America  in  1854  : 

Pemmican 1.25  lbs. 

Biscuit 0.25    " 

Edward's  presen-ed  potatoes 0.10    " 

Flour 0.33   " 

Tea 0.03    " 

Sugar 0.14    " 

G rcasc  or  alcohol,  for  cookiug 0. 25   " 

^.35  ibo. 


STOEES   AND   PROVISIONS.  33 

This  allowance  of  a  little  over  two  pounds  of  the 
most  nutritious  food  was  found  barely  sufficient  to 
subsist  the  men  in  that  cold  chmate. 

The  peinniican,  which  constitutes  almost  the  en- 
tire diet  of  the  Fur  Company's  men  ia  the  N'orth- 
west,  is  prepared  as  follows :  The  buffalo  meat  is 
cut  into  thin  flakes,  and  hung  up  to  dry  in  the  sun 
or  before  a  slow  fire ;  it  is  then  pounded  between 
two  stones  and  reduced  to  a  powder ;  this  powder 
is  placed  in  a  bag  of  the  animaPs  hide,  with  the  hair 
on  the  outside ;  melted  grease  is  then  pom'ed  into  it, 
and  the  bag  sewn  up.  It  can  be  eaten  raw,  and 
many  prefer  it  so.  Mixed  with  a  httle  flour  and 
boiled,  it  is  a  very  wholesome  and  exceedmgiy  nu- 
tritious food,  and  will  keep  fresh  for  a  long  time. 

I  would  ad\ise  all  persons  who  travel  for  any 
considerable  time  through  a  country  where  they 
can  procure  no  vegetables  to  carry  with  them  some 
antiscorbutics,  and  if  they  can  not  transport  desic- 
cated or  canned  vegetables,  citric  acid  answers  a 
good  purpose,  and  is  very  portable.  When  mixed 
with  sugar  and  water,  with  a  few  drops  of  the  es- 
sence of  lemon,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  it  from 
lemonade.  Wild  onions  are  excellent  as  antiscor- 
butics ;  also  wild  grapes  and  greens.  An  infusion 
of  hemlock  leaves  is  also  said  to  be  an  antidote  to 
scur^^. 

The  most  portable  and  simple  preparation  of  sub- 
sistence that  I  know  of,  and  which  is  used  exten- 
sively by  the  Mexicans  and  Indians ^  is  called  ''  cold 
C 


34  PEAIEIE  TEAVELER. 

flour.''''  It  is  made  by  parching  corn,  and  pounding 
it  in  a  mortar  to  the  consistency  of  coarse  meal ;  a 
little  sugar  and  cinnamon  added  makes  it  quite 
palatable.  When  the  traveler  becomes  hungry  or 
thirsty,  a  little  of  the  flour  is  mixed  with  water  and 
drunk.  It  is  an  excellent  article  for  a  traveler  who 
desires  to  go  the  greatest  length  of  time  upon  the 
smallest  amount  of  trans23ortation.  It  is  said  that 
half  a  bushel  is  sufficient  to  subsist  a  man  thirty 
days. 

Persons  undergoing  severe  labor,  and  driven  to 
great  extremities  for  food,  will  derive  sustenance 
from  various  sources  that  would  never  occur  to 
them  under  ordinary  circumstances.  In  passing 
over  the  Rocky  Mountains  during  the  winter  of 
1857-8,  our  supplies  of  provisions  were  entirely 
consumed  eighteen  days  before  reachmg  the  first 
settlements  in  New  Mexico,  and  Ave  were  obliged 
to  resort  to  a  variety  of  exj^edients  to  supply  the 
deficiency.  Our  poor  mules  were  fast  failing  and 
dropping  down  from  exhaustion  in  the  deep  snows, 
and  our  only  dependence  for  the  means  of  sustain- 
mg  life  was  upon  these  starved  animals  as  they  be- 
came unserviceable  and  could  go  no  farther.  We 
had  no  salt,  sugar,  cofiee,  or  tobacco,  Avhich,  at  a 
time  when  men  are  performing  the  severest  labor 
that  the  human  system  is  capable  of  enduring,  was 
a  great  privation.  In  this  destitute  condition  we 
found  a  substitute  for  tobacco  in  the  bark  of  the 
rod  willow,  which  grows  upon  many  of  the  mount- 


STORES   AND   PEOVISIONS.  35 

ain  streams  in  that  vicinity.  The  outer  bark  is 
first  removed  with  a  knife,  after  which  the  inner 
bark  is  scraped  up  into  ridges  around  the  sticks, 
and  held  in  the  fire  until  it  is  thoroughly  roasted, 
when  it  is  taken  ofi"  the  stick,  pulverized  in  the 
hand,  and  is  ready  for  smoking.  It  has  the  nar- 
cotic properties  of  the  tobacco,  and  is  quite  agreea- 
ble to  the  taste  and  smell.  The  sumach  leaf  is  also 
used  by  the  Indians  in  the  same  way,  and  has  a 
similar  taste  to  the  w^illow  bark.  A  decoction  of 
the  dried  wild  or  horse  mint,  which  we  found 
abundant  under  the  snow,  was  quite  palatable,  and 
answered  instead  of  coffee.  It  dries  up  in  that 
climate,  but  does  not  lose  its  flavor.  We  suffered 
^greatly  for  the  want  of  salt;  but,  by  burning  the 
outside  of  our  mule  steaks,  and  sprinkling  a  little 
gunpowder  upon  them,  it  did  not  require  a  very 
extensive  stretch  of  the  imagination  to  fancy  the 
presence  of  both  salt  and  pepper.  We  tried  the 
meat  of  horse,  colt,  and  mules,  all  of  which  were  m 
a  starved  condition,  and  of  course  not  very  tender, 
juicy,  or  nutritious.  We  consumed  the  enormous 
amount  of  from  five  to  six  pounds  of  this  meat  per 
man  daily,  but  continued  to  grow  weak  and  thin, 
until,  at  the  expiration  of  twelve  days,  we  were  able 
to  perform  but  little  labor,  and  were  continually 
craving  for  fat  meat. 

The  allowance  of  provisions  for  each  grown  per- 
son, to  make  the  journey  from  the  Missouri  River 
to  California,  should  sufiice  for  110  days.     The  fol- 


36  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

lowing  is  deemed  requisite,  viz.:  150  lbs.  of  flour, 
or  its  equivalent  in  hard  bread ;  25  lbs.  of  bacon  or 
pork,  and  enough  fresh  beef  to  be  driven  on  the 
hoof  to  make  up  the  meat  component  of  the  ration; 
15  lbs.  of  coffee,  and  25  lbs.  of  sugar;  also  a  quan- 
tity of  saleratus  or  yeast  j^owders  for  making  bread, 
and  salt  and  pepper. 

These  are  the  chief  articles  of  subsistence  neces- 
sary for  the  trij),  and  they  should  be  used  with  econ- 
omy, reserving  a  good  portion  for  the  western  half 
of  the  journey.  Heretofore  many  of  the  Cahfor- 
nia  emigrants  have  improvidently  exhausted  their 
stocks  of  provisions  before  reaching  their  journey's 
end,  and  have,  in  many  cases,  been  obliged  to  pay 
the  most  exorbitant  prices  in  making  uj)  the  de- 
ficiency. 

It  is  true  that  if  persons  choose  to  j^ass  through 
Salt  Lake  City,  and  the  Mormons  happen  to  be  in 
an  amiable  mood,  supplies  may  sometimes  be  pro- 
cured from  them ;  but  those  who  have  visited  them 
well  know  how  little  reliance  is  to  be  placed  upon 
their  hospitality  or  spirit  of  accommodation. 

I  once  traveled  with  a  party  of  New  Yorkers  en 
route  for  California.  They  were  perfectly  ignorant 
of  every  thing  relating  to  this  kind  of  campaigning, 
and  had  overloaded  their  wagons  with  almost  every 
thmg  except  the  very  articles  most  important  and 
necessary ;  the  consequence  w^as,  that  they  exhaust- 
ed their  teams,  and  w^ere  obliged  to  throw  away  the 
greater  part  of  their  loading.     Tliev  soon  learned 


CLOTHING.  37 

that  Champagne,  East  India  sweetmeats,  olives, 
etc.,  etc.,  were  not  the  most  useful  articles  for  a 
prairie  tour. 

CLOTHING. 

A  suitable  dress  for  prairie  traveling  is  of  great 
import  to  health  and  comfort.  Cotton  or  linen  fab- 
rics do  not  sufficiently  protect  the  body  against  the 
direct  rays  of  the  sun  at  midday,  nor  against  rains 
or  sudden  changes  of  temperature.  Wool,  being  a 
non-conductor,  is  the  best  material  for  this  mode  of 
locomotion,  and  should  always  be  adopted  for  the 
plains.  The  coat  should  be  short  and  stout,  the 
shirt  of  red  or  blue  flannel,  such  as  can  be  found  in 
almost  all  the  shops  on  the  frontier :  this,  in  warm 
Aveather,  answers  for  an  outside  garment.  The  pants 
should  be  of  thick  and  soft  woolen  material,  and  it 
is  well  to  have  them  re-enforced  on  the  inside,  where 
they  come  m  contact  with  the  saddle,  with  soft 
buckskin,  which  makes  them  more  durable  and  com- 
fortable. 

Woolen  socks  and  stout  boots,  coming  up  well  at 
the  knees,  and  made  large,  so  as  to  admit  the  pants, 
will  be  found  the  best  for  horsemen,  and  they  guard 
against  rattlesnake  bites. 

In  traveling  through  deep  snow  during  very  cold 
weather  in  winter,  moccasins  are  preferable  to  boots 
or  shoes,  as  being  more  pliable,  and  allowing  a  freer 
circulation  of  the  blood.  In  crossing  the  Rocky 
Mountains  in  the  winter,  the  weather  being  intense- 


38  PEAIEIE   TEAVELEE. 

ly  cold,  I  wore  two  pairs  of  woolen  socks,  and  a 
square  piece  of  thick  blanket  sufficient  to  coyer  the 
feet  and  ankles,  over  which  were  drawn  a  pair  of 
thick  buckskm  moccasms,  and  the  whole  enveloped 
in  a  pair  of  buffalo-skin  boots  with  the  hair  inside, 
made  open  in  the  front  and  tied  with  buckskin 
strings.  At  the  same  time  I  wore  a  pair  of  elkskin 
pants,  which  most  effectually  prevented  the  air  from 
penetrating  to  the  skin,  and  made  an  excellent  de- 
fense against  brush  and  thorns. 

My  men,  who  were  dressed  in  the  regulation  cloth- 
ing, wore  out  their  pants  and  shoes  before  we  reach- 
ed the  summit  of  the  mountains,  and  many  of  them 
had  their  feet  badly  frozen  in  consequence.  They 
mended  their  shoes  with  pieces  of  leather  cut  from 
the  saddle-skirts  as  long  as  they  lasted,  and,  when 
this  material  was  gone,  they  covered  the  entire  shoe 
with  green  beeve  or  mule  hide,  drawn  together  and 
sewed  upon  the  top,  with  the  hair  inside,  which  pro- 
tected the  upper  as  well  as  the  sole  leather.  The 
sewing  was  done  with  an  awl  and  buckskin  strings. 
These  simple  expedients  contributed  greatly  to  the 
comfort  of  the  party ;  and,  indeed,  I  am  by  no  means 
sure  that  they  did  not,  in  our  straitened  condition, 
without  the  transportation  necessary  for  carrying 
disabled  men,  save  the  lives  of  some  of  them.  With- 
out the  awl  and  buckskins  we  should  have  been  un- 
able to  have  repaired  the  shoes.  They  should  never 
be  forgotten  in  making  up  the  outfit  for  a  prairie 
expedition. 


CLOTHING. 


39 


We  also  experienced  great  inconvenience  and 
pain  by  the  reflection  of  the  sun's  rays  from  the 
snow  upon  our  eyes,  and  some  of  the  party  became 
nearly  snow-blind.  Green  or  blue  glasses,  inclosed 
in  a  wire  net-work,  are  an  effectual  protection  to  the 
eyes ;  but,  in  the  absence  of  these,  the  skin  around 
the  eyes  and  upon  the  nose  should  be  blackened 
with  wet  powder  or  charcoal,  which  will  afford 
great  relief 

In  the  summer  season  shoes  are  much  better  for 
footmen  than  boots,  as  they  are  lighter,  and  do  not 
cramp  the  ankles ;  the  soles  should  be  broad,  so  as 
to  allow  a  square,  firm  tread,  without  distorting  or 
pinching  the  feet. 

The  following  list  of  articles  is  deemed  a  suffi- 
cient outfit  for  one  man  upon  a  three  months'  expe- 
dition, viz. : 


2  blue  or  red  flannel  overshirts, 
open  in  front,  with  buttons. 
2  woolen  undershirts. 
2  pairs  thick  cotton  drawers. 
4  pairs  woolen  socks. 
2  pairs  cotton  socks. 
4  colored  silk  handkerchiefs. 

2  pairs  stout  shoes,  for  footmen. 
1  pair  boots,  for  horsemen. 

1  pair  shoes,  for  horsemen. 

3  towels. 

1  gutta  percha  poncho. 
1  broad-brimmed    hat   of  soft 
felt. 


1  comb  and  brush. 

2  tooth-brushes. 

1  pound  Castile  soap. 

3  pounds  bar  soap  for  washing 
clothes. 

1  belt-knife  and  small  whet- 
stone. 

Stout  linen  thread,  large  nee- 
dles, a  bit  of  beeswax,  a  few 
buttons,  paper  of  pins^  and  a 
thimble,  all  contained  in  a 
small  buckskin  or  stout  cloth 
bag. 


The  foregoing  articles,  with  the  coat  and  over- 
coat, complete  the  wardrobe. 


40  TRAIKIE    TRAVELEK. 

CAMP  EQUIPAGE. 

The  bedding  for  each  person  should  consist  of 
two  blankets,  a  comforter,  and  a  pillow,  and  a  gutta 
percha  or  painted  canvas  cloth  to  spread  beneath 
the  bed  npon  the  ground,  and  to  contain  it  when 
rolled  up  for  transportation. 

Every  mess  of  six  or  eight  persons  will  require  a 
wrought-iron  camp  kettle,  large  enough  for  boiling 
meat  and  making  soup ;  a  coffee-j)Ot  and  cups  of 
heavy  tin,  with  the  handles  riveted  on ;  tin  plates, 
frying  and  bake  pans  of  wrought  iron,  the  latter 
for  baking  bread  and  roasting  coffee.  Also  a  mess 
pan  of  heavy  tin  or  wrought  iron  for  mixing  bread 
and  other  cuHnary  purposes;  knives,  forks,  and 
spoons ;  an  extra  camp  kettle ;  tin  or  gutta  percha 
bucket  for  water — wood,  being  liable  to  shrink  and 
fall  to  pieces,  is  not  deemed  suitable ;  an  axe,  hatch- 
et, and  spade  will  also  be  needed,  with  a  mallet  for 
driving  picket-pins.  Matches  should  be  carried  in 
bottles  and  corked  tight,  so  as  to  exclude  the 
moisture. 

A  little  blue  mass,  quinine,  opium,  and  some  ca- 
thartic medicine,  put  uj)  in  doses  for  adults,  will 
suffice  for  the  medicine-chest. 

Each  ox  wagon  should  be  provided  with  a  cover- 
ed tar-bucket,  filled  with  a  mixture  of  tar  or  resin 
and  grease,  two  bows  extra,  six  S's,  and  six  open 
links  for  repairing  chains.  Every  set  of  six  wagons 
should  have  a  tongue,  coupling  pole,  king-bolt,  and 
pair  of  hounds  extra. 


ARMS.  41 

Every  set  of  six  mule  wagons  should  be  furnisliecl 
with  five  pairs  of  hames,  two  double  trees,  four 
whipple-trees,  and  two  pairs  of  lead  bars  extra. 

Two  lariats  will  be  needed  for  every  horse  and 
mule,  as  one  generally  wears  out  before  reaching 
the  end  of  a  long  journey.  They  will  be  found  use- 
ful in  crossing  deep  streams,  and  in  letting  wagons 
down  steep  hills  and  mountains ;  also  in  repairing 
broken  wagons.  Lariats  made  of  hemp  are  the 
best. 

One  of  the  most  indispensable  articles  to  the  out- 
fit of  the  prairie  traveler  is  buckskin.  For  repair- 
ing harness,  saddles,  bridles,  and  numerous  other 
purposes  of  daily  necessity,  the  awl  and  buckskin 
will  be  found  in  constant  requisition. 

ARMS. 

Every  man  who  goes  into  the  Indian  country 
should  be  armed  with  a  rifle  and  revolver,  and  he 
should  never,  either  in  camp  or  out  of  it,  lose  sight 
of  them.  When  not  on  the  march,  they  should  be 
placed  in  such  a  position  that  they  can  be  seized  at 
an  instant's  warning ;  and  when  moving  about  out- 
side the  camp,  the  revolver  should  invariably  be 
worn  in  the  belt,  as  the  person  does  not  know  at 
what  moment  he  may  have  use  for  it. 

A  great  diversity  of  opinion  obtains  regarding 
the  kind  of  rifle  that  is  the  most  efiicient  and  best 
adapted  to  Indian  warfare,  and  the  question  is  per- 
haps as  yet  very  far  from  bemg  settled  to  the  satis- 


42  PEAIEIE  TEAVELER. 

faction  of  all.  A  large  majority  of  men  prefer  the 
breech-loading  arm,  but  there  are  those  who  still 
adhere  tenaciously  to  the  old-fashioned  muzzle-load- 
ing rifle  as  preferable  to  any  of  the  modern  inven- 
tions. Among  these  may  be  mentioned  the  border 
hunters  and  mountaineers,  who  can  not  be  persuad- 
ed to  use  any  other  than  the  Hawkins  rifle,  for  the 
reason  that  they  know  nothing  about  the  merits  of 
any  others.  My  own  experience  has  forced  me  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  breech-loading  arm  possess- 
es great  advantages  over  the  muzzle-loading,  for 
the  reason  that  it  can  be  charged  and  fired  with 
much  greater  rapidity. 

Colt's  revolving  pistol  is  very  generally  admitted, 
both  in  Europe  and  America,  to  be  the  most  effi- 
cient arm  of  its  kind  known  at  the  present  day.  As 
the  same  principles  are  mvolved  in  the  fabrication 
of  his  breech-loading  rifle  as  are  found  m  the  pistol, 
the  conviction  to  me  is  irresistible  that,  if  one  arm 
is  worthy  of  consideration,  the  other  is  equally  so. 
For  my  own  part,  I  look  upon  Colt's  new  patent 
rifle  as  a  most  excellent  arm  for  border  service.  It 
gives  six  shots  in  more  rapid  succession  than  any 
other  rifle  I  know  of,  and  these,  if  properly  expend- 
ed, are  oftentimes  sufficient  to  decide  a  contest ; 
moreover,  it  is  the  most  rehable  and  certam  weapon 
to  fire  that  I  have  ever  used,  and  I  can  not  resist 
the  force  of  my  conviction  that,  if  I  were  alone  upon 
the  prairies,  and  expected  an  attack  from  a  body  of 


AEMS.  43 

Indians,  I  am  not  acquainted  with  any  arm  I  would 
as  soon  have  in  my  hands  as  this. 

The  army  and  navy  revolvers  have  both  been  used 
in  our  army,  but  the  officers  are  not  united  in  opin- 
ion in  regard  to  their  relative  merits.  I  prefer  the 
large  army  size,  for  reasons  which  will  be  given  here- 
after. 


44  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER, 


CHAPTER  n. 

Marching. — Treatment  of  Animals. — Water. — Different  meth- 
ods of  finding  and  purifying  it. — Journadas. — Methods  of 
crossing  them. — Advance  and  Rear  Guards. — Selection  of 
Camp. — Sanitary  Considerations. — Dr.  Jackson's  Report. — 
Picket  Guards. — Stampedes. — How  to  prevent  them.^-Cor- 
raling  Wagons. 

MARCHING. 

The  success  of  a  long  expedition  through  an  un- 
populated country  depends  mainly  on  the  care  tak- 
en of  the  animals,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are 
driven,  herded,  and  guarded.  If  they  are  broken 
down  or  lost,  every  thing  must  be  sacrificed,  and  the 
party  becomes  perfectly  helpless. 

The  great  error  into  which  inexperienced  travel- 
ers are  liable  to  fall,  and  which  probably  occasions 
more  suffering  and  disaster  than  almost  any  thing 
else,  lies  in  overworking  their  cattle  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  journey.  To  obviate  this,  short 
and  easy  drives  should  be  made  until  the  teams  be- 
come habituated  to  their  work,  and  gradually  in- 
ured to  this  particular  method  of  traveling.  If  ani- 
mals are  overloaded  and  overworked  when  they  first 
start  out  into  the  prairies,  especially  if  they  have 
recently  been  taken  from  grain,  they  soon  fall  away, 
and  give  out  before  reaching  the  end  of  the  journey. 


MARCHING.  45 

Grass  and  water  are  abundant  and  good  upon  the 
eastern  portions  of  all  the  different  overland  routes ; 
animals  should  not,  therefore,  with  proj^er  care,  fall 
away  in  the  least  before  reaching  the  mountains,  as 
west  of  them  are  long  stretches  where  grass  and 
water  are  scarce,  and  it  requires  the  full  amount  of 
strength  and  vigor  of  animals  in  good  condition  to 
endure  the  fatigues  and  hard  labor  attendant  upon 
the  passage  of  these  deserts.  Drivers  should  be 
closely  watched,  and  never,  unless  absolutely  neces- 
sary, permitted  to  beat  their  animals,  or  to  force 
them  out  of  a  walk,  as  this  will  soon  break  down 
the  best  teams.  Those  teamsters  who  make  the 
least  use  of  the  whip  invariably  keep  their  annuals 
in  the  best  condition.  Unless  the  drivers  are  check- 
ed at  the  outset,  they  are  very  apt  to  fall  into  the 
habit  of  flogging  their  teams.  It  is  not  only  wholly 
unnecessary  but  cruel,  and  should  never  be  tolerated. 

In  traveling  with  ox  teams  in  the  summer  season, 
great  benefit  will  be  derived  from  making  early 
marches  ;  starting  w^ith  the  dawn,  and  making  a 
"  nooning"  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  as  oxen  suf- 
fer much  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  midsummer. 
These  noon  halts  should,  if  possible,  be  so  arranged 
as  to  be  near  grass  and  water,  where  the  animals 
can  improve  their  time  in  grazing.  When  it  gets 
cool  they  may  be  hitched  to  the  wagons  again, 
and  the  journey  continued  in  the  afternoon.  Six- 
teen or  eighteen  miles  a  day  may  thus  be  made  with- 
out injury  to  the  beasts,  and  longer  drives  can  never 


46  PKAIEIE  TEAVELER. 

be  expedient,  unless  in  order  to  reacli  grass  or  wa- 
ter. When  the  requisites  for  encamping  can  not  be 
found  at  the  desired  intervals,  it  is  better  for  the 
animals  to  make  a  very  long  drive  than  to  encamp 
without  water  or  grass.  The  noon  halt  in  such 
cases  may  be  made  without  Avater,  and  the  evening 
drive  lengthened. 

WATER. 

The  scarcity  of  water  upon  some  of  the  routes 
across  the  plains  occasionally  exposes  the  traveler 
to  intense  suffering,  and  renders  it  a  matter  of  much 
importance  for  him  to  learn  the  best  methods  of 
guarding  against  the  disasters  liable  to  occur  to 
men  and  animals  in  the  absence  of  this  most  neces- 
sary element. 

In  mountainous  districts  water  can  generally  be 
found  either  in  springs,  the  dry  beds  of  streams,  or 
in  holes  in  the  rocks,  where  they  are  sheltered  from 
rapid  evaporation.  For  example,  in  the  Hueco 
tanks,  thirty  miles  east  of  El  Paso,  New  Mexico, 
upon  the  Fort  Smith  road,  where  there  is  an  im- 
mense reservoir  in  a  cave,  water  can  always  be 
found.  This  reservoir  receives  the  drainage  of  a 
mountain. 

During  a  season  of  the  year  when  there  are  oc- 
casional showers,  water  will  generally  be  found  in 
low  places  where  there  is  a  substratum  of  clay, 
but  after  the  dry  season  has  set  in  these  pools  evap- 
orate, and  it  is  necessary  to  dig  wells.    The  lowest 


WATEE.  4Y 

spots  should  be  selected  for  this  purpose  when  the 
grass  is  green  and  the  surface  earth  moist. 

In  searching  for  water  along  the  dry  sandy  beds 
of  streams,  it  is  well  to  try  the  earth  with  a  stick 
or  ramrod,  and  if  this  indicates  moisture  water 
will  generally  be  obtained  by  excavation.  Streams 
often  sink  in  hght  and  porous  sand,  and  sometimes 
make  their  appearance  again  lower  down,  where 
the  bed  is  more  tenacious;  but  it  is  a  rule  with 
prairie  travelers,  in  searching  for  water  in  a  sandy 
country,  to  ascend  the  streams,  and  the  nearer  their 
sources  are  approached  the  more  water  will  be 
found  in  a  dry  season. 

Where  it  becomes  necessary  to  sink  a  well  in  a 
stream  the  bed  of  which  is  quicksand,  a  flour-bar- 
rel, perforated  with  small  holes,  should  be  used  as 
a  curb,  to  prevent  the  sand  from  caving  in.  The 
barrel  must  be  forced  down  as  the  sand  is  removed ; 
and  when,  as  is  often  the  case,  there  is  an  under- 
current through  the  sand,  the  well  will  be  contin- 
ually filled  with  water. 

There  are  many  indications  of  water  known  to 
old  campaigners,  although  none  of  them  are  abso- 
lutely hifallible.  The  most  certain  of  them  are  deep 
green  cottonwood  or  willow  trees  growing  in  de- 
pressed localities ;  also  flags,  water  -  rushes,  tall 
green  grass,  etc. 

The  fresh  tracks  and  trails  of  animals  converging 
toward  a  common  centre,  and  the  flight  of  birds 
and  water-fowl  toward  the  same  points,  will  also 


48  PEAIEIE  TEAVELEE. 

lead  to  water.  In  a  section  frequented  by  deer  or 
mustangs,  it  may  be  certain  that  water  is  not  far 
distant,  as  these  animals  drink  daily,  and  they  wiU 
not  remain  long  in  a  locality  after  the  water  has 
dried  up.  Deer  generally  go  to  water  during  the 
middle  of  the  day,  but  birds  toward  evening. 

A  supply  of  drinking  water  may  be  obtained 
during  a  shower  from  the  drippings  of  a  tent,  or  by 
suspending  a  cloth  or  blanket  by  the  four  corners 
and  hanging  a  small  weight  to  the  centre,  so  as  to 
allow  all  the  rain  to  run  toward  one  point,  from 
whence  it  drops  into  a  vessel  beneath.  India-rub- 
ber, gutta-percha,  or  painted  canvas  cloths  answer 
a  very  good  purpose  for  catching  water  durmg  a 
rain,  but  they  should  be  previously  well  washed,  to 
prevent  them  from  imparting  a  bad  taste. 

When  there  are  heavy  dews  water  may  be  col- 
lected by  spreading  out  a  blanket  with  a  stick  at- 
tached to  one  end,  tying  a  rope  to  it,  dragging  it 
over  the  grass,  and  wringing  out  the  water  as  it 
accumulates.  In  some  parts  of  Australia  this  meth- 
od is  practiced. 

In  traversing  the  country  upon  the  head  waters 
of  Red  River  during  the  summer  of  1852,  we  suf- 
fered most  severely  from  thirst,  having  nothmg  but 
the  acrid  and  bitter  waters  from  the  river,  which, 
issuing  from  a  gypsum  formation,  was  highly 
charged  with  salts,  and,  when  taken  into  the  stom- 
ach, did  not  quench  thirst  in  the  slightest  degree, 
but^  on  the  contrary,  produced  a  most  pamful  and 


WATER.  49 

burning  sensation,  accompanied  witli  diarrhoea. 
During  the  four  days  that  we  were  compelled  to 
drink  this  water  the  thermometer  rose  to  104°  m 
the  shade,  and  the  only  relief  we  found  was  from 
bathing  in  the  river. 

The  use  of  water  is  a  matter  of  habit,  very  mudhi 
withm  our  control,  as  by  practice  we  may  discipline 
ourselves  so  as  to  require  but  a  small  amount. 
Some  persons,  for  example,  who  place  no  restraint 
upon  their  appetites,  will,  if  they  can  get  it,  drink 
water  twenty  times  a  day,  while  others  will  not 
perhaps  drink  more  than  once  or  twice  during  the 
same  time.  I  have  found  a  very  effectual  prevent- 
ive to  thirst  by  drinking  a  large  quantity  of  water 
before  breakfast,  and,  on  feeling  thirsty  on  the 
march,  chewing  a  small  green  twig  or  leaf. 

Water  taken  from  stagnant  pools,  charged  with 
putrid  vegetable  matter  and  animalculge,  would  be 
very  likely  to  generate  fevers  and  dysenteries  if 
taken  into  the  stomach  without  purification.  It 
should  therefore  be  thoroughly  boiled,  and  all  the 
scum  removed  from  the  surface  as  it  rises;  this 
clarifies  it,  and  by  mixing  powdered  charcoal  with 
it  the  disinfecting  process  is  perfected.  Water 
may  also  be  purified  by  placing  a  piece  of  alum  in 
the  end  of  a  stick  that  has  been  split,  and  stirring 
it  around  in  a  bucket  of  water.  Charcoal  and  the 
leaves  of  the  j^rickly  pear  are  also  used  for  the  same 
purpose.  I  have  recently  seen  a  compact  and  port- 
able filter,  made  of  charcoal,  which  clarifies  the  wa- 
D 


60  PEAIEIE  TEAVELEE. 

ter  very  effectually,  and  draws  it  off  on  the  siphon 
principle.  It  can  be  obtained  at  85  West  Street, 
'Ne^Y  York,  for  one  dollar  and  a  half.  Water  may 
be  partially  filtered  in  a  muddy  pond  by  taking  a 
barrel  and  boring  the  lower  half  full  of  holes,  then 
filling  it  up  with  grass  or  moss  above  the  upper 
holes,  after  which  it  is  placed  in  the  pond  with  the 
top  above  the  surface.  The  water  filters  through 
the  grass  or  moss,  and  rises  in  the  barrel  to  a  level 
with  the  pond.  Travelers  frequently  drink  muddy 
water  by  placing  a  cloth  or  handkerchief  over  the 
mouth  of  a  cup  to  catch  the  larger  particles  of  dii't 
and  anunalculse. 

Water  may  be  cooled  so  as  to  be  quite  palatable 
by  wrapping  cloths  around  the  vessels  containing  it, 
wetting  them,  and  hanging  them  in  the  air,  where 
a  rapid  evaporation  will  be  j^roduced.  Some  of  the 
frontier-men  use  a  leathern  sack  for  carrying  water ; 
this  is  porous,  and  allows  the  necessary  evaporation 
without  wetting. 

The  Arabs  also  use  a  leathern  bottle,  which  they 
call  zemsemiyah.  When  they  are  en  route  they 
hang  it  on  the  shady  side  of  a  camel,  where  the 
evaporation  keeps  the  water  continually  cool. 

No  expedition  should  ever  set  out  mto  the  plains 
without  being  supphed  with  the  means  for  carrying 
water,  especially  in  an  unknown  region.  If  wooden 
kegs  are  used  they  must  frequently  be  looked  after, 
and  soaked,  m  order  that  they  may  not  shrink  and 
fall  to  pieces.    Men,  in  marching  in  a  hot  climate, 


WATEK.  51 

throw  off  a  great  amount  of  perspiration  from  the 
skin,  and  require  a  corresponding  quantity  of  water 
to  supply  the  deficiency,  and  imless  they  get  this 
they  suffer  greatly.  When  a  party  makes  an  ex- 
pedition into  a  desert  section,  where  there  is  a 
probability  of  finding  no  water,  and  intend  to  re- 
turn over  the  same  track,  it  is  well  to  carry  water 
as  far  as  convenient,  and  bury  it  in  the  ground  for 
use  on  the  return  trip. 

"  Captain  Sturt,  when  he  explored  AustraHa,  took 
a  tank  in  his  cart,  which  burst,  and,  besides  that,  he 
carried  casks  of  water.  By  these  he  was  enabled 
to  face  a  desert  country  with  a  success  which  no 
traveler  had  ever  attained  to.  For  instance,  when 
returning  homeward,  the  water  was  found  to  be 
drying  up  from  the  country  on  all  sides  of  him. 
He  was  at  a  pool,  and  the  next  stage  was  118 
miles,  at  the  end  of  which  it  was  doubtful  if  there 
remained  any  water.  It  was  necessary  to  send  to 
reconnoitre,  and  to  furnish  the  messenger  Avith 
means  of  returning  should  the  pool  be  found  dry. 
He  killed  a  bullock,  skinned  it,  and,  filling  the  skin 
with  water  (which  held  150  gallons),  sent  it  by  an 
ox  dray  30  miles,  with  orders  to  bury  it  and  to  re- 
turn. Shortly  after  he  dispatched  a  light  one-horse 
cart,  carrying  36  gallons  of  water ;  the  horse  and 
man  were  to  drink  at  the  hide  and  go  on.  Thus 
they  had  36  gallons  to  su^^ply  them  for  a  journey 
of  176  miles,  or  six  days  at  30  miles  a  day,  at  the 
close  of  which  they  would  return  to  the  ox  hide — 


62  PRAIEIE   TRAVELEK. 

sleeping,  in  fact,  five  nights  on  36  gallons  of  water. 
This  a  hardy,  well-driven  horse  could  do,  even  in 
the  hottest  climate."* 

JOURNADAS. 

In  some  localities  50  or  60  miles,  and  even  greater 
distances,  are  frequently  traversed  without  water; 
these  long  stretches  are  called  by  the  Mexicans 
'•'•  journadas^^  or  day's  journeys.  There  is  one  in 
l!^ew  Mexico  called  Journada  del  Muerto^  which  is 
784  miles  in  length,  Avhere,  in  a  dry  season,  there  is 
not  a  drop  of  water ;  yet,  with  proper  care,  this 
drive  can  be  made  with  ox  or  mule  teams,  and 
Avithout  loss  or  injury  to  the  animals. 

On  arriving  at  the  last  camping-ground  before 
entering  upon  the  journada,  all  the  animals  should 
be  as  well  rested  and  refreshed  as  possible.  To  m- 
sure  this,  they  must  be  turned  out  upon  the  best 
grass  that  can  be  found,  and  allowed  to  eat  and 
drmk  as  much  as  they  desire  during  the  entire 
halt.  Should  the  weather  be  very  warm,  and  the 
teams  composed  of  oxen,  the  march  should  not  be 
resumed  until  it  begins  to  cool  in  the  afternoon. 
They  should  be  carefully  watered  just  j)revious  to 
being  hitched  up  and  started  out  upon  the  journada, 
the  water-kegs  having  been  previously  filled.  The 
drive  is  then  commenced,  and  continued  during  the 
entire  night,  with  10  or  15  minutes  rest  every  two 
hours.  About  daylight  a  halt  should  be  made,  and 
*  F.  Galton's  Art  of  Travel,  p.  17  and  18. 


JOUENADAS.  53 

the  animals  immediately  tm-ned  out  to  graze  for 
two  hours,  during  which  time,  especially  if  there  is 
dew  upon  the  grass,  they  will  have  become  consid- 
erably refreshed,  and  may  be  put  to  the  wagons 
again  and  driven  until  the  heat  becomes  oppressive 
toward  noon,  when  they  are  again  turned  out  upon 
a  spot  where  the  grass  is  good,  and,  if  possible, 
where  there  are  shade  trees.  About  four  o'clock 
P.M.  they  are  again  started,  and  the  march  con- 
tinued into  the  night,  and  as  long  as  they  can  be 
driven  without  suffering.  If,  however,  there  should 
be  dew,  which  is  seldom  the  case  on  the  plains,  it 
would  be  well  to  turn  out  the  animals  several  times 
during  the  second  night,  and  by  morning,  if  they 
are  in  good  condition,  the  journada  of  VO  or  80 
miles  will  have  been  passed  without  any  great 
amount  of  suflering.  I  am  supposing,  in  this  case, 
that  the  road  is  firm  and  free  from  sand. 

Many  persons  have  been  under  the  impression 
that  animals,  in  traversing  the  plains,  would  perform 
better  and  keep  in  better  condition  by  allowing 
them  to  graze  in  the  morning  before  commencing 
the  day's  march,  which  involves  the  necessity  of 
making  late  starts,  and  driving  during  the  heat  of 
the  day.  The  same  persons  have  been  of  the  opin- 
ion that  animals  will  graze  only  at  particular  hours ; 
that  the  remainder  of  the  day  must  be  allowed  them 
for  rest  and  sleep,  and  that,  unless  these  rules  be 
observed,  they  would  not  thrive.  This  opinion  is, 
however,  erroneous,  as  animals  will  in  a  few  days 


54  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

adapt  themselves  to  any  circumstances,  so  far  as 
regards  their  hom-s  of  labor,  rest,  and  refreshment. 
If  they  have  been  accustomed  to  work  at  particular 
periods  of  the  day,  and  the  order  of  things  is  sud- 
denly reversed,  the  working  hours  changed  into 
hours  of  rest,  and  vice  versa^  they  may  not  do  as 
well  for  a  short  time,  but  they  mil  soon  accustom 
themselves  to  the  change,  and  eat  and  rest  as  well 
as  before.  By  maldng  early  drives  during  the 
summer  months  the  heat  of  the  day  is  avoided, 
whereas,  I  repeat,  if  allowed  to  graze  before  start- 
ing, the  march  can  not  commence  until  it  grows 
warm,  when  animals,  especially  oxen,  will  suffer 
greatly  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  will  not  do 
as  well  as  when  the  other  plan  is  pursued. 

Oxen  upon  a  long  journey  will  sometimes  wear 
down  their  hoofs  and  become  lame.  When  this 
occurs,  a  thick  piece  of  raw  hide  wi'apped  around 
the  foot  and  tied  firmly  to  the  leg  will  obviate  the 
difficulty,  provided  the  weather  is  not  wet ;  for  if 
so,  the  shoe  soon  wears  out.  Mexican  and  Indian 
horses  and  mules  will  make  long  journeys  without 
being  shod,  as  their  hoofs  are  tough  and  elastic,  and 
wear  away  very  gradually ;  they  will,  however,  in 
time  become  very  smooth,  making  it  difficult  for 
them  to  travel  upon  grass. 

A  train  of  wagons  should  always  be  kept  closed 
upon  a  march ;  and  if,  as  often  happens,  a  particular 
wagon  gets  out  of  order  and  is  obliged  to  halt,  it 
should  be  turned  out  of  the  road,  to  let  the  others 


JOURNADAS.  55 

pass  while  the  injury  is  being  repaired.  As  soon 
as  the  broken  wagon  is  in  order,  it  should  fall  into 
the  line  wherever  it  happens  to  be.  In  the  event 
of  a  wagon  breaking  down  so  as  to  requu-e  import- 
ant repairs,  men  should  be  immediately  dispatched 
with  the  necessary  tools  and  materials,  which  should 
be  placed  in  the  train  where  they  can  readily  be  got 
at,  and  a  guard  should  be  left  to  escort  the  wagon 
to  camp  after  having  been  repaired.  If,  however, 
the  damage  be  so  serious  as  to  require  any  great 
length  of  time  to  repair  it,  the  load  should  be  trans- 
ferred to  other  wagons,  so  that  the  team  which  is 
left  behmd  will  be  able  to  travel  rapidly  and  over- 
take the  train. 

If  the  broken  wagon  is  a  poor  one,  and  there  be 
abundance  of  better  ones,  the  accident  bemg  such 
as  to  involve  much  delay  for  its  repair,  it  may  be 
wise  to  abandon  it,  taking  from  it  such  parts  as 
may  possibly  be  wanted  in  repairing  other  wagons. 

ADVANCE  AND  REAR  GUARDS. 

A  few  men,  well  mounted,  should  constitute  the 
advance  and  rear  guards  for  each  train  of  wagons 
passing  through  the  Indian  country.  Their  duty 
will  be  to  keep  a  vigilant  look-out  in  all  directions, 
and  to  reconnoitre  places  where  Indians  would  be 
likely  to  He  in  ambush.  Should  hostile  Indians  be 
discovered,  the  fact  should  be  at  once  reported  to 
the  commander,  who  (if  he  anticipates  an  attack) 
will  rapidly  form  his  wagons  into  a  circle  or  "  cor- 


56  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

ral^''  with  the  ammals  toward  the  centre,  and  the 
men  on  the  inside,  with  their  arms  in  readiness  to 
repel  an  attack  from  without.  If  these  arrange- 
ments be  properly  attended  to,  few  parties  of  In- 
dians will  venture  to  make  an  attack,  as  they  are 
well  aware  that  some  of  their  warriors  might  pay 
with  their  lives  the  forfeit  of  such  indiscretion. 

I  know  an  instance  where  one  resolute  man,  pur- 
sued for  several  days  by  a  large  party  of  Comanches 
on  the  Santa  Fe  trace,  defended  himself  by  dis- 
mounting and  pointmg  his  rifle  at  the  foremost 
whenever  they  came  near  him,  which  always  had 
the  effect  of  turning  them  back.  This  was  repeated 
so  often  that  the  Indians  finally  abandoned  the  pur- 
suit, and  left  the  traveler  to  pursue  his  journey 
without  farther  molestation.  During  all  this  time 
he  did  not  discharge  his  rifle ;  had  he  done  so  he 
would  doubtless  have  been  killed. 

SELECTION  OF  CAMPS. 

The  security  of  animals,  and,  indeed,  the  general 
safety  of  a  party,  in  traveling  through  a  country 
occupied  by  hostile  Indians,  depends  greatly  upon 
the  judicious  selection  of  camps.  One  of  the  most 
important  considerations  that  should  influence  the 
choice  of  a  locality  is  its  capability  for  defense.  If 
the  camp  be  pitched  beside  a  stream,  a  concave 
bend,  where  the  Avater  is  deep,  with  a  soft  alluvial 
bed  inclosed  by  higli  and  abrupt  banks,  will  be  the 
most  defensible,  and  all  the  more  should  tlie  con- 


SELECTION    OF    CAMPS.  57 

cavity  form  a  peninsula.  The  advantages  of  such  a 
position  are  obvious  to  a  soldier's  eye,  as  that  part 
of  the  encampment  inclosed  by  the  stream  is  natu- 
rally secure,  and  leaves  only  one  side  to  be  defended. 
The  concavity  of  the  bend  will  enable  the  defending 
party  to  cross  its  fire  in  case  of  attack  from  the  ex- 
posed side.  The  bend  of  the  stream  will  also  form 
an  excellent  corral  in  w^hich  to  secure  animals  from 
a  stampede,  and  thereby  diminish  the  number  of 
sentmels  needful  around  the  camp.  In  herding  ani- 
mals at  night  within  the  bend  of  a  stream,  a  spot 
should  be  selected  where  no  clumps  of  brush  grow 
on  the  side  where  the  animals  are  posted.  If  thick- 
ets of  brush  can  not  be  avoided,  sentinels  should  be 
placed  near  them,  to  guard  agamst  Indians,  Avho 
might  take  advantage  of  this  cover  to  steal  animals, 
or  shoot  them  down  with  arrows,  before  their  pres- 
ence were  known. 

In  camping  away  from  streams,  it  is  advisable  to 
select  a  position  in  which  one  or  more  sides  of  the 
encampment  shall  rest  upon  the  crest  of  an  abrupt 
hill  or  bluff.  The  prairie  Indians  make  their  cameos 
upon  the  summits  of  the  hills,  whence  they  can  see 
in  all  directions,  and  thus  avoid  a  surj^rise. 

The  line  of  tents  should  be  pitched  on  that  side 
of  the  camp  most  exposed  to  attack,  and  sentinels 
so  posted  that  they  may  give  alarm  in  time  for  the 
main  body  to  rally  and  prepare  for  defense. 


58  PEAIEIE  TRAVELER. 

SANITAKY  CONSIDERATIONS. 

When  camping  near  rivers  and  lakes  surrounded 
by  large  bodies  of  timber  and  a  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion, which  produces  a  great  amount  of  decomposi- 
tion and  consequent  exhalations  of  malaria,  it  is  im- 
portant to  ascertain  what  localities  Avill  be  the  least 
hkely  to  generate  disease,  and  to  affect  the  sanitary 
condition  of  men  occupying  them. 

This  subject  has  been  thoroughly  examined  by 
Dr.  Robert  Johnson,  Inspector  General  of  Hospitals 
in  the  English  army  in  1845  ;  and,  as  his  conclusions 
are  deduced  from  enlarged  experience  and  extended 
research,  they  should  have  great  weight.  I  shall 
therefore  make  no  apology  for  introducing  here  a 
few  extracts  from  his  interesting  report  touching 
upon  this  subject : 

"  It  is  consonant  with  the  experience  of  military 
people,  in  all  ages  and  in  all  countries,  that  camp 
diseases  most  abound  near  the  muddy  banks  of 
large  rivers,  near  swamps  and  ponds,  and  on  grounds 
which  have  been  recently  stripped  of  their  Avoods. 
The  fact  is  precise,  but  it  has  been  set  aside  to  make 
way  for  an  opinion.  It  was  assumed,  about  half 
a  century  since,  by  a  celebrated  army  physician, 
that  camp  diseases  originated  from  causes  of  putre- 
faction, and  that  putrefaction  is  connected  radically 
with  a  stagnant  condition  of  the  air. 

"  As  streams  of  air  usually  proceed  along  rivers 
with  more  certainty  and  force  than  in  other  places, 


SANITARY   CONSIDERATIONS.  69 

and  as  there  is  evidently  a  more  certain  movement 
of  air,  that  is,  more  wind  on  oj^en  grounds  than 
among  woods  and  thickets,  this  sole  considera- 
tion, without  any  regard  to  experience,  influenced 
opinion,  gave  currency  to  the  destructive  maxim 
that  the  banks  of  rivers,  open  groimds,  and  exposed 
heights  are  the  most  eligible  situations  for  the  en- 
campment of  troops.  They  are  the  best  ventilated ; 
they  must,  if  the  theory  be  true,  be  the  most 
healthy. 

"  The  fact  is  the  reverse ;  but,  demonstrative  as 
the  fact  may  be,  fashion  has  more  mfluence  than 
multiplied  examples  of  fact  experimentally  proved. 
Encampments  are  still  formed  m  the  vicinity  of 
swamps,  or  on  grounds  which  are  newly  cleared 
of  their  woods,  in  obedience  to  theory,  and  contrary 
to  fact. 

"  It  is  prudent,  as  now  said,  in  selecting  ground 
for  encampment^  to  avoid  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  swamps  and  rivers.  The  air  is  there  noxious ; 
but,  as  its  influence  thence  originating  does  not 
extend  beyond  a  certain  limit,  it  is  a  matter  of 
some  importance  to  ascertain  to  what  distance  it 
does  extend  ;  because,  if  circumstances  do  not  per- 
mit that  the  encampment  be  removed  out  of  its 
reach,  prudence  directs  that  remedies  be  applied  to 
weaken  the  force  of  its  pernicious  impressions. 

"  The  remedies  consist  in  the  interposition  of  ris- 
ing grounds,  woods,  or  such  other  impediments  as 
serve  to  break  the  current  in  its  progress  from  the 


60  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

noxious  source.  It  is  an  obvious  fact,  that  the 
noxious  cause,  or  the  exhalation  in  which  it  is  en- 
veloped, ascends  as  it  traverses  the  adjacent  plain, 
and  that  its  impression  is  augmented  by  the  adven- 
titious force  with  which  it  strikes  upon  the  subject 
of  its  action. 

"  It  is  thus  that  a  position  of  three  hundi*ed  paces 
from  the  margin  of  a  swamp,  on  a  level  with  the 
swamp  itself,  or  but  moderately  elevated,  is  less 
unhealthy  than  one  at  six  hundred  on  the  same  line 
of  direction  on  an  exposed  height.  The  cause  here 
strikes  fully  in  its  ascent ;  and  as  the  atmosphere 
has  a  more  varied  temperature,  and  the  succussions 
of  the  air  are  more  irreorular  on  the  heis^ht  than  on 
the  plain,  the  impression  is  more  forcible,  and  the 
noxious  effect  more  strongly  marked.  In  accord 
with  this  principle,  it  is  almost  uniformly  true, 
coeteris  paribus^  that  diseases  are  more  common, 
at  least  more  violent,  in  broken,  irregular,  and  hilly 
countries,  where  the  temperature  is  Uable  to  sudden 
changes,  and  where  blasts  descend  with  fury  from 
the  mountains,  than  in  large  and  extensive  inclined 
plains  under  the  action  of  equal  and  gentle  breezes 
only. 

"  From  this  fact  it  becomes  an  object  of  the  first 
consideration,  in  selecting  ground  for  encampment, 
to  guard  against  the  impression  of  strong  winds  on 
their  own  account,  independently  of  their  proceed- 
ing from  swamps,  rivers,  and  noxious  soils. 

"  It  is  proved  l)y  experience,  in  armies  as  in  civil 


SANITAEY   CONSIDERATIONS.  61 

life,  that  injury  does  not  often  result  from  simple 
wetting  with  rain  when  the  person  is  fairly  exposed 
in  the  open  air,  and  habitually  inured  to  the  con- 
tingencies of  weather.  Irregular  troops,  which  act 
in  the  advanced  line  of  armies,  and  which  have  no 
other  shelter  from  weather  than  a  hedge  or  tree, 
rarely  experience  sickness — never,  at  least,  the  sick- 
ness which  proceeds  from  contagion;  hence  it  is 
inferred  that  the  shelter  of  tents  is  not  necessary 
for  the  preservation  of  health.  Irregular  troOps, 
with  contingent  shelter  only,  are  comparatively 
healthy,  while  sickness  often  rages  with  violence  in 
the  same  scenae,  among  those  who  have  all  the  j^ro- 
tection  against  the  inclemencies  of  weather  which 
can  be  furnished  by  canvas.  The  fact  is  verified 
by  experience,  and  the  cause  of  it  is  not  of  difficult 
explanation.  When  the  earth  is  damp,  the  action 
of  heat  on  its  surface  occasions  the  interior  moisture 
to  ascend.  The  heat  of  the  bodies  of  a  given  num- 
ber of  men,  confined  within  a  tent  of  a  given  dimen- 
sion, raises  the  temperature  within  the  tent  beyond 
the  temperature  of  the  common  air  outside  the 
tent.  The  ascent  of  moisture  is  thus  encouraged, 
generally  by  a  change  of  temperature  in  the  tent, 
and  more  particularly  by  the  immediate  or  near 
contact  of  the  heated  bodies  of  the  men  with  the 
surface  of  the  earth.  Moisture,  as  exhaled  from  the 
earth,  is  considered  by  observers  of  fact  to  be  a 
cause  which  acts  mjuriously  on  health.  Produced 
artificially  by  the  accumulation  of  individuals  in 


62  PKAIEIE   TRAVELEE. 

close  tents,  it  may  reasonably  be  supposed  to  pro- 
duce its  usual  effects  on  armies.  A  cause  of  con- 
tagious influence,  of  fatal  effect,  is  thus  generated 
by  accumulating  soldiers  in  close  and  crowded  tents, 
under  the  pretext  of  defending  them  from  the  in- 
clemencies of  the  weather  ;  and  hence  it  is  that  the 
means  which  are  provided  for  the  preservation  of 
health  are  actually  the  causes  of  destruction  of  life. 
.  "  There  are  two  causes  which  more  evidently  act 
upon  the  health  of  troops  in  the  field  than  any  other, 
namely,  moisture  exhaled  direct  from  the  surface  of 
the  earth  in  undue  quantity,  and  emanations  of  a 
peculiar  character  arising  from  diseased  action  in 
the  animal  system  in  a  mass  of  men  crowded  to- 
gether. These  are  principal,  and  they  are  import- 
ant. The  noxious  effects  may  be  obviated,  or  rather 
the  noxious  cause  will  not  be  generated,  under  the 
following  arrangement,  namely,  a  carpet  of  paint- 
ed canvas  for  the  floor  of  the  tent ;  a  tent  with  a 
hght  roof,  as  defense  against  perpendicular  rain  or 
the  rays  of  a  vertical  sun ;  and  with  side  waUs  of 
moderate  height,  to  be  employed  only  against  driv- 
ing rains.  To  the  first  there  can  be  no  objection  i 
it  is  useful,  as  preventing  the  exhalations  of  moist' 
ure  from  the  surface  of  the  earth ;  it  is  convenient^ 
as  always  ready ;  and  it  is  economical,  as  less  ex^ 
pensive  than  straw.  It  requires  to  be  fresh  painted 
only  once  a  year." 

The  effect  of  crowding  men  together  in  close 
quarters,  illy  ventilated,  was  shown  in  the  prisons 


SAJflTARY   CONSIDERATIONS.  63 

of  Hindostan,  where  at  one  time,  when  the  English 
held  sway,  they  had,  on  an  average,  40,000  natives 
in  confinement;  and  this  unfortunate  population 
was  every  year  liberated  by  death  in  proportions 
varying  from  4000  to  10,000.  The  annual  average 
mortality  by  crowded  and  unventilated  barracks  in 
the  English  army  has  sometimes  been  enormous,  as 
at  Barrackpore,  where  it  seldom  fell  far  short  of 
one  tenth ;  that  is  to  say,  its  garrisons  were  every 
year  decimated  by  fever  or  cholera,  while  the  offi- 
cers and  other  inhabitants,  who  lived  in  well-venti- 
lated houses,  did  not  find  the  place  particularly  un- 
healthy. 

The  same  fact  of  general  exemption  among  the 
officers,  and  complete  exemption  among  their  wives, 
was  observed  m  the  marching  regiments,  which 
lost  by  cholera  from  one  tenth  to  one  sixth  of  the 
enlisted  men,  who  were  packed  together  at  night  ten 
and  twelve  in  a  tent,  with  the  thermometer  at  96°. 
The  dimensions  of  the  celebrated  Black  Hole  of  Cal- 
cutta— where  in  1756,123  prisoners  out  of  140  died 
by  carbonic  acid  in  one  night — was  but  eighteen 
feet  square,  and  with  but  two  small  windows.  Most 
of  the  twenty-three  who  survived  until  morning 
were  seized  with  putrid  fever  and  died  very  soon 
afterward. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1848,  150  deck  passen- 
gers of  the  steamer  Londonderry  were  ordered  be- 
low by  the  captain  and  the  hatches  closed  upon 
them :  seventy  were  found  dead  the  next  morning. 


64  PRAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

The  streams  which  mtersect  our  great  prairies 
have  but  a  very  sparse  growth  of  Avood  or  vegeta- 
tion upon  their  banks,  so  that  one  of  the  fundament- 
al causes  for  the  generation  of  noxious  malaria  does 
not,  to  any  great  extent,  exist  here,  and  I  beHeve 
that  persons  may  encamp  with  impunity  directly 
upon  their  banks. 

PICKET  GUAKDS. 

When  a  party  is  sufficiently  strong,  a  picket  guard 
sliould  be  stationed  during  the  night  some  tAvo  or 
three  hundred  yards  in  advance  of  the  point  which 
is  most  open  to  assault,  and  on  low  ground,  so  that 
an  enemy  approaching  over  the  surrounding  higher 
country  can  be  seen  agamst  the  sky,  while  the  sen- 
tinel himself  is  screened  from  observation.  These 
sentinels  should  not  be  allowed  to  keej)  fires,  unless 
they  are  so  placed  that  they  can  not  be  seen  from  a 
distance. 

During  the  day  the  pickets  should  be  posted  on 
the  summits  of  the  highest  eminences  in  the  vicinity 
of  camp,  with  instructions  to  keep  a  vigilant  look- 
out in  all  directions  ;  and,  if  not  within  hailing  dis- 
tance, they  should  be  instructed  to  give  some  well- 
understood  telegraphic  signals  to  mform  those  in 
camp  wlien  there  is  danger.  For  exam^Dle,  should 
Indians  be  discovered  approaching  at  a  great  dis- 
tance, they  may  raise  their  caps  ui)on  the  muzzles 
of  their  pieces,  and  at  the  same  time  walk  around  in 
a  circle ;  Avhile,  if  the  Indians  are  near  and  mo\ang 


PICKET   GUARDS.  65 

rajjidly,  the  sentinel  may  swing  his  cap  and  run 
around  rapidly  in  a  circle.  To  indicate  the  direc- 
tion from  which  the  Indians  are  approaching,  he 
may  direct  his  piece  toward  them,  and  walk  in  the 
same  line  of  direction. 

Should  the  pickets  suddenly  discover  a  party  of 
Indians  A^ery  near,  and  with  the  apparent  intention 
of  making  an  attack,  they  should  fire  their  pieces  to 
give  the  alarm  to  the  camp. 

These  telegraphic  signals,  when  well  understood 
and  enforced,  will  tend  greatly  to  facilitate  the  com- 
munication of  intelligence  throughout  the  camp,  and 
conduce  much  to  its  security. 

The  picket  guards  should  receive  minute  and 
strict  orders  regarding  their  duties  under  all  circum- 
stances, and  these  orders  should  be  distinctly  un- 
derstood by  every  one  in  the  camp,  so  that  no  false 
alarms  will  be  created.  All  persons,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  guards  and  herders,  should  after  dark 
be  confined  to  the  limits  of  the  chain  of  sentinels,  so 
that,  if  any  one  is  seen  approaching  from  without 
these  limits,  it  will  be  known  that  they  are  stran- 
gers. 

As  there  will  not  often  be  occasion  for  any  one  to 
pass  the  chain  of  pickets  during  the  night,  it  is  a 
good  rule  (especially  if  the  party  is  small),  when  a 
picket  sentinel  discovers  any  one  lurking  about  his 
post  from  without,  if  he  has  not  himself  been  seen, 
to  quietly  withdraw  and  report  the  fact  to  the  com- 
mander, who  can  wake  his  men  and  make  his  ar- 
E 


66  PRAIEIE  TRAVELER. 

rangements  to  repel  an  attack  and  protect  his  ani- 
mals. If,  however,  the  man  upon  the  picket  has  been 
seen,  he  should  distinctly  challenge  the  approaching 
party,  and  if  he  receives  no  answer,  fire,  and  retreat 
to  camp  to  report  the  fact. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  picket  guards 
should  be  wide  awake,  and  allow  nothing  to  escape 
their  observation,  as  the  safety  of  the  whole  camp 
is  involved.  During  a  dark  night  a  man  can  see 
better  himself,  and  is  less  exposed  to  the  view  of 
others,  when  in  a  sittmg  posture  than  when  stand- 
ing up  or  moving  about.  I  would  therefore  rec- 
ommend this  practice  for  night  pickets. 

Horses  and  mules  (especially  the  latter),  whose 
senses  of  hearing  and  smelling  are  probably  more 
acute  than  those  of  almost  any  other  animals,  will 
discover  any  thing  strange  or  unusual  about  camp 
much  sooner  than  a  man.  They  indicate  this  by 
turning  in  the  direction  from  whence  the  object  is 
approaching,  holding  their  heads  erect,  projecting 
their  ears  forward,  and  standing  in  a  fixed  and  at- 
tentive attitude.  They  exhibit  the  same  signs  of 
alarm  when  a  wolf  or  other  wild  animal  ajDproaches 
the  camp ;  but  it  is  always  wise,  when  they  show 
fear  in  this  manner,  to  be  on  the  alert  till  the  cause 
is  ascertained. 

Mules  are  very  keenly  sensitive  to  danger,  and,  in 
passing  along  over  the  prairies,  they  will  often  de- 
tect the  proximity  of  strangers  long  before  they  are 
discovered  by  their  riders.     Nothing  seems  to  es- 


PICKET   GUARDS.  67 

cape  their  observation ;  and  I  have  heard  of  several 
instances  where  they  have  given  timely  notice  of 
the  approach  of  hostile  Indians,  and  thus  prevented 
stampedes. 

Dogs  are  sometimes  good  sentinels,  but  they  often 
sleep  sound,  and  are  not  easily  awakened  on  the  ap- 
proach of  an  enemy. 

In  marching  with  large  force,  unless  there  is  a 
guide  who  knows  the  country,  a  small  party  should 
always  be  sent  in  advance  to  search  for  good  camp- 
ing-places, and  these  parties  should  be  dispatched 
early  enough  to  return  and  meet  the  main  command 
in  the  event  of  not  finding  a  camping-place  within 
the  limits  of  the  day's  march.  A  regiment  should 
average  upon  the  prairies,  where  the  roads  are  good, 
about  eighteen  miles  a  day,  but,  if  necessary,  it  can 
make  25  or  even  30  miles.  The  advance  party 
should  therefore  go  as  far  as  the  command  can 
march,  provided  the  requisites  for  camping  are  not 
found  within  that  distance.  The  article  of  first  im- 
portance in  campaigning  is  grass,  the  next  water, 
and  the  last  fuel. 

It  is  the  practice  of  most  persons  traveling  with 
large  ox  trains  to  select  their  camps  upon  the  sum- 
mit of  a  hill,  where  the  surrounding  country  in  all 
directions  can  be  seen.  Their  cattle  are  then  con- 
tinually within  view  from  the  camp,  and  can  be 
guarded  easily. 

When  a  halt  is  made  the  wagons  are  "  corraled," 
as  it  is  called,  by  bringing  the  two  front  ones  near 


68  PEAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

and  parallel  to  each  other.  The  two  next  are  then 
driven  up  on  the  outside  of  these,  with  the  front 
Avheels  of  the  former  touching  the  rear  wheels  of 
the  latter,  the  rear  of  the  wagons  turned  out  upon 
the  circumference  of  the  circle  that  is  being  formed, 
and  so  on  until  one  half  the  circle  is  made,  when 
the  rear  of  the  wagons  are  turned  in  to. complete 
the  circle.  An  opening  of  about  twenty  yards 
should  be  left  between  the  last  two  wagons  for 
animals  to  pass  in  and  out  of  the  corral,  and  this 
may  be  closed  with  two  ropes  stretched  between 
the  wagons.  Such  a  corral  forms  an  excellent  and 
secure  barricade  against  Indian  attacks,  and  a  good 
inclosure  for  cattle  while  they  are  bemg  yoked ;  in- 
deed, it  is  indispensable. 

STAMPEDES. 

Inclosures  are  made  in  the  same  manner  for  horses 
and  mules,  and,  in  case  of  an  attempt  to  stampede 
them,  they  should  be  driven  with  all  possible  dis- 
patch into  the  corral,  where  they  will  be  perfectly 
secure.  A  "  stampede"  is  more  to  be  dreaded  upon 
the  plains  than  almost  any  disaster  that  can  happen. 
It  not  unfrequently  occurs  that  very  many  animals 
are  irretrievably  lost  in  this  way,  and  the  objects  of 
an  expedition  thus  defeated. 

The  Indians  are  perfectly  familiar  with  the  habits 
and  disposition  of  horses  and  mules,  and  with  the 
most  effectual  methods  of  terrifying  them.  Previ- 
ous to  attempting  a  stampede,  they  provide  them- 


STAMPEDES.  69 

selves  with  rattles  and  other  means  for  making 
frightful  noises;  thus  prepared,  they  approach  as 
near  the  herds  as  possible  without  being  seen,  and 
suddenly,  with  their  horses  at  full  speed,  rush  in 
among  them,  making  the  most  hideous  and  un- 
earthly screams  and  noises  to  terrify  them,  and 
drive  them  off  before  their  astonished  owners  are 
able  to  rally  and  secure  them. 

As  soon  as  the  animals  are  started  the  Indians 
divide  their  party,  leaving  a  portion  to  hurry  them 
off  rapidly,  while  the  rest  linger  some  distance  in 
the  rear,  to  resist  those  who  may  pursue  them. 

Horses  and  mules  will  sometimes,  especially  in 
the  night,  become  frightened  and  stampeded  from 
very  slight  causes.  A  wolf  or  a  deer  passing 
through  a  herd  will  often  alarm  them,  and  cause 
them  to  break  away  in  the  most  frantic  manner. 
Upon  one  occasion  in  the  Choctaw  country,  my 
entire  herd  of  about  two  hundred  horses  and  mules 
all  stampeded  in  the  night,  and  scattered  over  the 
country  for  many  miles,  and  it  was  several  days  be- 
fore I  succeeded  in  collecting  them  together.  The 
alarm  occurred  while  the  herders  were  walking 
among  the  animals,  and  without  any  perceptible 
cause.  The  foregoing  facts  go  to  show  how  im- 
portant it  is  at  all  times  to  keep  a  vigilant  guard 
over  animals.  In  the  vicinity  of  hostile  Indians, 
where  an  attack  may  be  anticipated,  several  good 
horses  should  be  secured  in  such  positions  that  they 
will  continually  be  in  readiness  for  an  emergency 


VO  PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

of  this  kind.  The  herdsmen  should  have  their 
horses  in  hand,  saddled  and  bridled,  and  ready  at 
an  instant's  notice  to  spring  upon  their  backs  and 
drive  the  herds  into  camp.  As  soon  as  it  is  dis- 
covered that  the  animals  have  taken  fright,  the 
herdsmen  should  use  their  utmost  endeavors  to 
turn  them  in  the  direction  of  the  camp,,  and  this 
can  generally  be  accomplished  by  riding  the  bell 
mare  in  front  of  the  herd,  and  gradually  turning 
her  toward  it,  and  slackening  her  speed  as  the  fa- 
miUar  objects  about  the  camp  come  in  sight.  This 
usually  tends  to  quiet  their  alarm. 


BEPAIKS   OF   ACCIDENTS.  71 


CHAPTER  in. 

Repairing  broken  Wagons. — Fording  Rivers. — Quicksand. — 
Wagon  Boats. — Bull  Boats. — Crossing  Packs. — Swimming 
Animals. — Marching  with  loose  Horses. — Herding  Mules. 
— Best  Methods  of  Marching. — Herding  and  guarding  Ani- 
mals.— Descending  Mountains. — Storms. — Northers. 

REPAIRS  OF  ACCIDENTS. 

The  accidents  most  liable  to  happen  to  wagons 
on  the  plains  arise  from  the  great  dryness  of  the 
atmosphere,  and  the  consequent  shrmkage  and  con- 
traction of  the  wood- work  in  the  wheels,  the  tu-es 
working  loose,  and  the  wheels,  in  passing  over  sid- 
ling ground,  oftentimes  falling  down  and  breaking 
all  the  spokes  where  they  enter  the  hub.  It  there- 
fore becomes  a  matter  of  absolute  necessity  for  the 
prairie  traveler  to  devise  some  means  of  repairing 
such  damages,  or  of  guarding  against  them  by  the 
use  of  timely  expedients. 

The  wheels  should  be  frequently  and  closely  ex- 
amined, and  whenever  a  tire  becomes  at  all  loose 
it  should  at  once  be  tightened  with  pieces  of  hoop- 
iron  or  wooden  wedges  driven  by  twos  simulta- 
neously from  opposite  sides.  Another  remedy  for 
the  same  thing  is  to  take  off  the  wheels  after  en- 
camping, sink  them  in  water,  and  allow  them  to  re- 
main over  niecht.    This  swells  the  wood,  but  is  only 


72  PKAIKIE   TKAVELER. 

temporary,  requiring  frequent  repetition  ;  and,  after 
a  time,  if  the  wheels  have  not  been  made  of  thor- 
oughly seasoned  timber,  it  becomes  necessary  to 
reset  the  tires  in  order  to  guard  against  their  de- 
struction by  falling  to  pieces  and  breaking  the 
spokes. 

If  the  tires  run  off  near  a  blacksmith's  shop,  or 
if  there  be  a  traveling  forge  with  the  train,  they 
may  be  tied  on  with  raw  hide  or  ropes,  and  thus 
driven  to  the  shop  or  camp.  When  a  rear  wheel 
breaks  down  upon  a  march,  the  best  method  I  know 
of  for  taking  the  vehicle  to  a  place  where  it  can  be 
repaired  is  to  take  off  the  damaged  wheel,  and  place 
a  stout  j)ole  of  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter  un- 
der the  end  of  the  axle,  outside  the  wagon-bed,  and 
extending  forward  above  the  front  wheel,  where  it 
is  firmly  lashed  with  ropes,  while  the  other  end  of 
the  pole  runs  six  or  eight  feet  to  the  rear,  and  drags 
u-pon  the  ground.  The  pole  must  be  of  such  length 
and  mclination  that  the  axle  shall  be  raised  and  re- 
tained in  its  proper  horizontal  position,  when  it  can 
be  driven  to  any  distance  that  may  be  desired. 
The  wagon  should  be  relieved  as  much  as  practica- 
ble of  its  loading,  as  the  pole  dragging  upon  the 
ground  will  cause  it  to  run  heavily. 

When  a  front  wheel  breaks  down,  the  expedient 
just  mentioned  can  not  be  apphed  to  the  front  axle, 
but  the  two  rear  wheels  may  be  taken  off  and 
placed  upon  this  axle  (they  will  always  fit),  while 
the  sound  front  wheel  can  be  substituted  ui>on  one 


KEPAIKS   OF   ACCIDENTS.  73 

side  of  the  rear  axle,  after  which  the  pole  may  be 
applied  as  before  described.  This  plan  I  have 
adopted  upon  several  different  occasions,  and  I  can 
vouch  for  its  efficacy. 

The  foregoing  facts  may  appear  very  simple  and 
unimportant  in  themselves,  but  blacksmiths  and 
wheelwrights  are  not  met  with  at  every  turn  of  the 
roads  upon  the  prairies ;  and  in  the  wilderness,  where 
the  traveler  is  dependent  solely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, this  kind  of  information  will  be  found  high- 
ly useful. 

When  the  spokes  in  a  wheel  shrink  more  than 
the  felloes,  they  work  loose  in  the  hub,  and  can  not 
be  tightened  by  wedging.  The  only  remedy  m 
such  cases  is  to  cut  the  felloe  with  a  saw  on  oppo- 
site sides,  taking  out  two  pieces  of  such  dimensions 
that  the  reduced  circumference  will  draw  back  the 
spokes  into  their  proper  places  and  make  them  snug. 
A  thin  wagon-bow,  or  barrel-hoops,  may  then  be 
wrapped  around  the  outside  of  the  felloe,  and  se- 
cured with  small  nails  or  tacks.  This  increases  the 
diameter  of  the  wheel,  so  that  when  the  tire  has 
been  heated,  put  on,  and  cooled,  it  forces  back  the 
spokes  into  their  true  places,  and  makes  the  wheel 
as  sound  and  strong  as  it  ever  was.  This  simple 
process  can  be  executed  in  about  half  an  hour  if 
there  be  fuel  for  heating,  and  obviates  the  necessity 
of  cutting  and  welding  the  tire.  I  would  recom- 
mend that  the  tires  should  be  secured  with  bolts 
and  nuts,  which  will  prevent  them  from  running 


74  PEAIEIE  TRAVELER. 

off  when  they  work  loose,  and,  if  they  have  been 
cut  and  reset,  they  should  be  well  tried  with  a  ham- 
mer where  they  are  welded  to  make  sure  that  the 
junction  is  sound. 

FORDING  RIVERS. 

Many  streams  that  intersect  the  different  routes 
across  our  continent  are  broad  and  shallow,  and 
flow  over  beds  of  quicksand,  which,  in  seasons  of 
high  water,  become  boggy  and  unstable,  and  are 
then  exceedingly  difficult  of  crossing.  When  these 
streams  are  on  the  rise,  and,  indeed,  before  any 
swelling  is  perceptible,  their  beds  become  sur- 
charged with  the  sand  loosened  by  the  action  of  the 
mider-current  from  the  approaching  flood,  and  from 
this  time  until  the  water  subsides  fording  is  diffi- 
cult, requiring  great  precautions. 

On  arriving  upon  the  bank  of  a  river  of  this 
character  which  has  not  recently  been  crossed,  the 
condition  of  the  quicksand  may  be  ascertained  by 
sending  an  mtelligent  man  over  the  fording-place, 
and,  should  the  sand  not  yield  under  his  feet,  it 
may  be  regarded  as  safe  for  animals  or  wagons. 
Should  it,  however,  prove  soft  and  yielding,  it  must 
be  thoroughly  examined,  and  the  best  track  select- 
ed. This  can  be  done  by  a  man  on  foot,  who  will 
take  a  number  of  sharp  sticks  long  enough,  when 
driven  into  the  bottom  of  the  river,  to  stand  above 
the  surffice  of  the  Avater.  He  starts  from  the  shore, 
and  with  one  of  the  sticks  and  Ids  feet  tries  the 


FOEDING  RIVEES.  15 

bottom  in  the  direction  of  the  opposite  bank  untU 
he  finds  the  firmest  ground,  where  he  plants  one 
of  the  sticks  to  mark  the  track.  A  man  incurs  no 
danger  in  walking  over  quicksand  provided  he 
step  rapidly,  and  he  will  soon  detect  the  safest 
ground.  He  then  proceeds,  planting  his  sticks  as 
often  as  may  be  necessary  to  mark  the  way,  until 
he  reaches  the  opposite  bank.  The  ford  is  thus  as- 
certained, and,  if  there  are  footmen  in  the  party, 
they  should  cross  before  the  animals  and  wagons, 
as  they  pack  the  sand,  and  make  the  track  more 
firm  and  secure. 

If  the  sand  is  soft,  horses  should  be  led  across, 
and  not  allowed  to  stojD  m  the  stream;  and  the 
better  to  insure  this,  they  should  be  watered  before 
entering  upon  the  ford ;  otherwise,  as  soon  as  they 
stand  still,  their  feet  sink  in  the  sand,  and  soon  it 
becomes  difiicult  to  extricate  them.  The  same  rule 
holds  in  the  passage  of  wagons :  they  must  be  driven 
steadily  across,  and  the  animals  never  allowed  to 
stop  while  in  the  river,  as  the  wheels  sink  rapidly 
in  quicksand.  Mules  will  often  stop  from  fear,  and, 
when  once  embarrassed  in  the  sand,  they  lie  down, 
and  will  not  use  the  slightest  exertion  to  regain 
their  footing.  The  only  alternative,  then,  is  to  drag 
them  out  with  ropes.  I  have  even  known  some 
mules  refuse  to  put  forth  the  least  exertion  to  get 
up  after  being  pulled  out  upon  firm  ground,  and  it 
was  necessary  to  set  them  upon  their  feet  before 
they  were  restored  to  a  consciousness  of  their  own 
powers. 


76  PKAIRIE  TEAVELEE. 

lu  crossing  rivers  where  the  water  is  so  high  as 
to  come  into  the  wagon-beds,  but  is  not  above  a 
fording  stage,  the  contents  of  the  wagons  may  be 
kept  dry  by  raising  the  beds  between  the  uprights, 
and  retaining  them  in  that  position  with  blocks  of 
wood  placed  at  each  corner  between  the  rockers 
and  the  bottom  of  the  wagon-beds.  The. blocks 
must  be  squared  at  each  end,  and  their  length,  of 
course,  should  vary  with  the  depth  of  water,  which 
can  be  determined  before  cutting  them.  This  is  a 
very  common  and  simple  method  of  passing  streams 
among  emigrant  travelers. 

When  streams  are  deep,  with  a  very  rapid  cur- 
rent, it  is  difficult  for  the  drivers  to  direct  their 
teams  to  the  proper  coming-out  places,  as  the  cur- 
rent has  a  tendency  to  carry  them  too  far  down. 
This  difficulty  may  be  obviated  by  attaching  a  lariat 
rope  to  the  leading  animals,  and  having  a  mounted 
man  ride  in  front  with  the  rope  in  his  hand,  to  assist 
the  team  in  stemming  the  current,  and  direct  it  to- 
ward the  point  of  egress.  It  is  also  a  wise  pre- 
caution, if  the  ford  be  at  all  hazardous,  to  place  a 
mounted  man  on  the  lower  side  of  the  team  with  a 
whip,  to  urge  forward  any  animal  that  may  not 
work  properly. 

Where  rivers  are  wide,  with  a  swift  current,  they 
should  always,  if  possible,  be  forded  obliquely  down 
stream,  as  the  action  of  the  water  against  the  wag- 
ons assists  very  materially  in  carrying  them  across. 
In  crossing  the  North  Platte  upon  the  Cherokee 
trail  at  a  season  when  the  water  was  hisjh  and 


POEDING   EIVEES.  79 

very  rapid,  we  were  obliged  to  take  the  only  prac- 
ticable ford,  wHch  ran  diagonally  up  the  stream. 
The  consequence  was,  that  the  heavy  current,  com- 
ing down  with  great  force  agamst  the  wagons,  offer- 
ed such  powerful  resistance  to  the  efforts  of  the 
mules  that  it  was  with  difficulty  they  could  retam 
their  footing,  and  several  were  drowned.  Had  the 
ford  crossed  obhquely  down  the  river,  there  would 
have  been  no  difficulty. 

When  it  becomes  necessary,  with  loaded  wagons, 
to  cross  a  stream  of  this  character  against  the  cur- 
rent, I  would  recommend  that  the  teams  be  doubled, 
the  leading  animals  led,  a  horseman  placed  on  each 
side  with  whips  to  assist  the  driver,  and  that,  be- 
fore the  first  wagon  enters  the  water,  a  man  should 
be  sent  in  advance  to  ascertain  the  best  ford. 

During  seasons  of  high  water,  men,  in  traversing 
the  plains,  often  encounter  rivers  which  rise  above 
a  fording  stage,  and  remain  in  that  condition  for 
many  days,  and  to  await  the  falHng  of  the  water 
might  involve  a  great  loss  of  time.  If  the  traveler 
be  alone,  his  only  way  is  to  swim  his  horse ;  but  if 
he  retains  the  seat  on  his  saddle,  his  weight  presses 
the  animal  down  into  the  water,  and  cramps  his 
movements  very  sensibly.  It  is  a  much  better  plan 
to  attach  a  cord  to  the  bridle-bit,  and  drive  him 
into  the  stream ;  then,  seizing  his  tail,  allow  him  to 
tow  you  across.  If  he  turns  out  of  the  course,  or 
attempts  to  turn  back,  he  can  be  checked  with  the 
cord,  or  by  splashing  water  at  his  head.  If  the 
rider  remams  in  the  saddle,  he  should  allow  the 


80  PRAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

horse  to  have  a  loose  rein,  and  never  pull  upon  it 
except  when  necessary  to  guide.  If  he  wishes  to 
steady  himself,  he  can  lay  hold  upon  the  mane. 

In  traveling  with  large  parties,  the  following  ex- 
pedients for  crossing  rivers  have  been  successfully 
resorted  to  within  my  own  experience,  and  they 
are  attended  with  no  risk  to  life  or  property. 

A  rapid  and  deep  stream,  with  high,  abrupt,  and 
soft  banks,  probably  presents  the  most  formidable 
array  of  unfavorable  circumstances  that  can  be 
found.  Streams  of  this  character  are  occasionally 
met  with,  and  it  is  important  to  know  how  to  cross 
them  with  the  greatest  promptitude  and  safety. 

A  train  of  wagons  having  arrived  upon  the  bank 
of  such  a  stream,  first  select  the  best  point  for  the 
passage,  where  the  banks  upon  both  sides  require 
the  least  excavation  for  a  place  of  ingress  and 
egress  to  and  from  the  river.  As  I  have  before  re- 
marked, the  place  of  entering  the  river  should  be 
above  the  coming-out  place  on  the  oj)posite  bank, 
as  the  current  will  then  assist  in  carrying  wagons 
and  animals  across.  A  spot  should  be  sought  where 
the  bed  of  the  stream  is  firm  at  the  place  where  the 
animals  are  to  get  out  on  the  opposite  bank.  If, 
however,  no  such  place  can  be  found,  brush  and 
cartli  should  be  thrown  in  to  make  a  foundation 
sufiicient  to  support  the  animals,  and  to  prevent 
them  from  bogging.  After  the  j^lace  for  crossing 
has  been  selected,  it  will  be  important  to  determine 
tlie  breadth  of  the  river  between  the  points  of  in- 
gross  and  egress,  in  order  to  show  tlie  length  of 


FORDING   RIVEES.  81 

rope  necessary  to  reach  across.  A  very  simple 
practical  method  of  doing  this  without  instrmnents 
is  found  in  the  French  "  Manuel  du  Genie."  It  is 
as  follows : 


The  line  AB  (the  distance  to  be  measured)  is  extended  upon  the  bank 
to  D,  from  which  point,  after  having  marked  it,  lay  off  equal  distances,  DC 
and  Cd;  produce  BC  to  6,  making  CB=C&;  then  extend  the  line  db  until 
it  intersects  the  prolongation  of  the  line  through  CA  at  a.  The  distance 
between  ah  is  equal  to  AB,  or  the  width  of  the  crossing. 

F 


82  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

A  man  who  is  an  expert  swimmer  then  takes  the 
end  of  a  fishing-Hne  or  a  small  cord  in  his  month, 
and  carries  it  across,  leaving  the  other  end  fixed 
upon  the  opposite  bank,  after  which  a  lariat  is  at- 
tached to  the  cord,  and  one  end  of  it  pulled  across 
and  made  fast  to  a  tree ;  but  if  there  is  nothing 
convenient  to  which  the  lariat  can  be  attached,  an 
extra  axle  or  coupling-pole  can  be  pulled  over  by 
the  man  who  has  crossed,  firmly  planted  in  the 
ground,  and  the  rope  tied  to  it.  The  rope  must  be 
long  enough  to  extend  twice  across  the  stream,  so 
that  one  end  may  always  be  left  on  each  shore.  A 
very  good  substitute  for  a  ferry-boat  may  be  made 
with  a  wagon-bed  by  filling  it  with  empty  water- 
casks,  stopped  tight  and  secured  in  the  wagon  with 
ropes,  with  a  cask  lashed  opposite  the  centre  of 
each  outside.  It  is  then  placed  in  the  water  bot- 
tom upward,  and  the  rope  that  has  been  stretched 
across  the  stream  attached  to  one  end  of  it,  while 
another  rope  is  made  fast  to  the  other  end,  after 
which  it  is  loaded,  the  shore-end  loosened,  and  the 
men  on  the  opposite  bank  pull  it  across  to  the  land- 
ing, where  it  is  discharged  and  returned  for  another 
load,  and  so  on  until  all  the  baggage  and  men  are 
passed  over. 

The  wagons  can  be  taken  across  by  fastening 
them  down  to  the  axles,  attaching  a  rope  to  the 
end  of  the  tongue,  and  another  to  the  rear  of  each 
to  steady  it  and  hold  it  from  drifting  below  the 
landing.     It  is  then  pushed  into  the  stream,  and 


FORDING    RIVERS.  83 

the  men  on  the  opposite  bank  pull  it  over.  I  have 
passed  a  large  train  of  wagons  in  this  way  across 
a  rapid  stream  fifteen  feet  deep  without  any  diffi- 
culty. I  took,  at  the  same  time,  a  six-pounder  can- 
non, which  was  separated  from  its  carriage,  and 
ferried  over  upon  the  wagon-boat ;  after  which 
the  carriage  was  pulled  over  in  the  same  way  as 
described  for  the  wagons. 

There  are  not  always  a  sufficient  number  of  air- 
tight water-casks  to  fill  a  wagon-bed,  but  a  tent- 
fly,  paulin,  or  wagon-cover  can  generally  be  had. 
In  this  event,  the  wagon-bed  may  be  placed  in  the 
centre  of  one  of  these,  the  cloth  brought  up  around 
the  ends  and  sides,  and  secured  firmly  with  ropes 
tied  around  transversely,  and  another  rope  fastened 
lengthwise  around  under  the  rim.  This  holds  the 
cloth  in  its  place,  and  the  wagon  may  then  be 
placed  in  the  water  right  side  upward,  and  man- 
aged in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  other  case.  If 
the  cloth  be  made  of  cotton,  it  will  soon  swell  so  as 
to  leak  but  very  little,  and  answers  a  very  good 
purpose. 

Another  method  of  ferrying  streams  is  by  means 
of  what  is  called  by  the  mountaineers  a  "  hull-hoat^'' 
the  frame-work  of  which  is  made  of  willows  bent 
into  the  shape  of  a  short  and  wide  skiflT,  with  a  flat 
bottom.  Willows  grow  upon  the  banks  of  almost 
all  the  streams  on  the  prairies,  and  can  be  bent  into 
any  shape  desired.  To  make  a  boat  with  but  one 
hide,  a  number  of  straight  wiUows  are  cut  about  an 


84  ri?AITiTE   TRA.YELET?. 

inch  ill  diameter,  the  ends  sharpened  and  driven 
into  the  ground,  forming  a  frame- work  in  the  shape 
of  a  half  egg-shell  cut  through  the  longitudinal  axis* 
Where  these  rods  cross  they  are  fii-mly  secured 
with  strings.  A  stout  rod  is  then  heated  and  bent 
aroimd  the  frame  in  such  a  position  that  the  edges 
of  the  hide,  when  laid  over  it  and  drawn  tight,  will 
just  reach  it.  This  rod  forms  the  gunwale,  which 
is  secured  by  strings  to  the  ribs.  Small  rods  are 
then  wattled  in  so  as  to  make  it  symmetrical  and 
strong.  After  which  the  green  or  soaked  hide  is 
thrown  over  the  edges,  sewed  to  the  gunwales,  and 
left  to  dry.  The  rods  are  then  cut  off  even  with 
the  gunwale,  and  the  boat  is  ready  for  use. 

To  build  a  boat  with  two  or  more  hides :  A 
stout  pole  of  the  desired  length  is  placed  uj)on  the 
ground  for  a  keel,  the  ends  turned  up  and  secured 
by  a  lariat ;  willow  rods  of  the  required  dimensions 
are  then  cut,  heated,  and  bent  into  the  proper  shape 
for  knees,  after  which  their  centres  are  placed  at 
equal  distances  upon  the  keel,  and  firmly  tied  with 
cords.  The  knees  are  retained  in  their  proper  curv- 
ature by  cords  around  the  ends.  After  a  sufficient 
number  of  them  have  been  placed  upon  the  keel, 
two  poles  of  suitable  dimensions  are  heated,  bent 
around  the  ends  for  a  gunwale,  and  firmly  lashed 
to  each  knee.  Smaller  willows  are  then  interwoven, 
so  as  to  model  the  frame. 

Green  or  soaked  hides  are  cut  into  the  proper 
shape  to  fit  the  frame,  and  sewed  together  with 


FOKDING   KIVEES.  85 

buckskin  strings;  tlien  the  frame  of  the  boat  is 
placed  in  the  middle,  the  hide  drawn  up  snug 
around  the  sides,  and  secured  with  raw-hide  thongs 
to  the  gunwale.  The  boat  is  then  turned  bottom 
upward  and  left  to  dry,  after  which  the  seams 
where  they  have  been  sewed  are  covered  with  a 
mixture  of  melted  tallow  and  pitch :  the  craft  is 
now  ready  for  launching. 

A  boat  of  this  kind  is  very  light  and  serviceable, 
but  after  a  while  becomes  water-soaked,  and  should 
always  be  turned  bottom  upward  to  dry  whenever 
it  is  not  in  the  water.  Two  men  can  easily  build  a 
hull -boat  of  three  hides  in  two  days  which  will 
carry  ten  men  with  perfect  safety. 

A  small  party  travehng  with  a  pack  train  and  ar- 
riving ujion  the  banks  of  a  deep  stream  will  not  al- 
ways have  the  time  to  stop  or  the  means  to  make 
any  of  the  boats  that  have  been  described.  Should 
their  luggage  be  such  as  to  become  seriously  in- 
jured by  a  wetting,  and  there  be  an  India-rubber 
or  gutta-percha  cloth  disposable,  or  if  even  a  green 
beef  or  buffalo  hide  can  be  procured,  it  may  be 
spread  out  upon  the  ground,  and  the  articles  of  bag- 
gage placed  in  the  centre,  in  a  square  or  rectangu- 
lar form ;  the  ends  and  sides  are  then  brought  up 
so  as  entirely  to  envelop  the  package,  and  the  whole 
secured  with  ropes  or  raw  hide.  It  is  then  placed 
in  the  water  with  a  rope  attached  to  one  end,  and 
towed  across  by  men  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
boats  before  described.     If  hides  be  used  they  will 


86  PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

require  greasing  occasionally,  to  prevent  their  be- 
coming water-soaked. 

When  a  mounted  party  with  pack  animals  arrive 
upon  the  borders  of  a  rapid  stream,  too  deep  to 
ford,  and  where  the  banks  are  high  and  abrupt, 
with  perhaps  but  one  place  where  the  beasts  can 
get  out  upon  the  opposite  shore,  it  would  not  be 
safe  to  drive  or  ride  them  m,  calculating  that  all 
will  make  the  desired  landing.  Some  of  them  will 
probably  be  carried  by  the  swift  current  too  far 
down  the  stream,  and  thereby  endanger  not  only 
their  own  Hves,  but  the  lives  of  their  riders.  I 
have  seen  the  experiment  tried  repeatedly,  and 
have  known  several  animals  to  be  carried  by  the 
current  below  the  point  of  egress,  and  thus  drown- 
ed. Here  is  a  simple,  safe,  and  expeditious  method 
of  taking  animals  over  such  a  stream.  Suppose,  for 
example,  a  party  of  mounted  men  arrive  upon  the 
bank  of  the  stream.  There  will  always  be  some 
good  swimmers  in  the  party,  and  probably  others 
who  can  not  swim  at  all.  Three  or  four  of  the 
most  expert  of  these  are  selected,  and  sent  across 
with  one  end  of  a  rope  made  of  lariats  tied  to- 
gether, while  the  other  end  is  retained  upon  the 
first  bank,  and  made  fast  to  the  neck  of  a  gentle 
and  good  swimming  horse;  after  which  another 
gentle  horse  is  brought  up  and  made  fast  by  a 
lariat  around  his  neck  to  the  tail  of  the  first,  and 
so  on  until  all  the  horses  are  thus  tied  together. 
The  men  who  can  not  swim  are  then  mounted  upon 


,:/  i 

■i        ■■ill     /I 

,;;,, 

'':p 

iff 

/,, 

,;/''■'     'f''''^. 

DKIVIN^G   LOOSE   HOESES.  89 

tlio  best  swimming  horses  and  tied  on,  otherwise 
they  are  Hable  to  become  frightened,  lose  their 
balance,  and  be  carried  away  in  a  rapid  cm-rent ; 
or  a  horse  may  stumble  and  throw  his  rider.  After 
the  horses  have  been  strung  out  in  a  single  line  by 
their  riders,  and  every  thing  is  in  readiness,  the 
first  horse  is  led  carefully  into  the  water,  while  the 
men  on  the  opposite  bank,  pulling  upon  the  rope, 
thus  direct  him  across,  and,  if  necessary,  aid  him  in 
stemming  the  current.  As  soon  as  this  horse  strikes 
bottom  he  pulls  upon  those  behind  him,  and  there- 
by assists  them  in  making  the  landing,  and  in  tliis 
manner  all  are  j^assed  over  in  perfect  safety. 

DEIVING  LOOSE  HORSES. 

In  travelmg  with  loose  horses  across  the  plains, 
some  persons  are  in  the  habit  of  attaching  them  in 
pairs  by  their  halters  to  a  long,  stout  rope  stretch- 
ed between  two  wagons  drawn  by  mules,  each 
wagon  being  about  half  loaded.  The  principal  ob- 
ject of  the  rear  wagon  being  to  hold  back  and  keej) 
the  rope  stretched,  not  more  than  two  stout  mules 
are  required,  as  the  horses  aid  a  good  deal  with 
their  heads  in  pulling  this  wagon.  From  thirty  to 
forty  horses  may  be  driven  very  well  in  this  man- 
ner, and,  if  they  are  wild,  it  is  perhaps  the  safest 
method,  exce23t  that  of  leading  them  with  halters 
held  by  men  riding  beside  them.  The  rope  to 
which  the  horses  are  attached  should  be  about  an 
inch  and  a  quarter  in  diameter,  with  loops  or  rings 


90  PRAIKIE   TEAVELEK. 

inserted  at  intervals  sufficient  to  admit  the  horses 
without  allowing  them  to  kick  each  other,  and  the 
halter  straps  tied  to  these  loops.  The  horses,  on 
first  starting,  should  have  men  by  their  sides,  to 
accustom  them  to  this  manner  of  being  led.  The 
wagons  should  be  so  driven  as  to  keep  the  rope 
continually  stretched.  Good  drivers  must  be  as- 
signed to  these  wagons,  who  will  constantly  watch 
the  movements  of  the  horses  attached,  as  well  as 
their  own  teams. 

I  have  had  150  loose  horses  driven  by  ten  mount- 
ed herdsmen.  This  requires  great  care  for  some 
considerable  time,  until  the  horses  become  gentle 
and  accustomed  to  their  herders.  It  is  important 
to  ascertain,  as  soon  as  possible  after  starting,  which 
horses  are  wild,  and  may  be  likely  to  stampede  and 
lead  off  the  herd ;  such  should  be  led,  and  never  suf- 
fered to  run  loose,  either  on  the  march  or  in  camp. 
Animals  of  this  character  will  soon  indicate  their 
propensities,  and  can  be  secured  during  the  first 
days  of  the  march.  It  is  desirable  that  all  animals 
that  will  not  stampede  when  not  working  should 
run  loose  on  a  march,  as  they  pick  up  a  good  deal 
of  grass  along  the  road  when  travelmg,  and  the 
success  of  an  expedition,  when  animals  get  no  other 
forage  but  grass,  depends  in  a  great  degree  upon 
the  time  given  them  for  grazing.  They  will  thrive 
much  better  when  allowed  a  free  range  than  when 
picketed,  as  they  then  are  at  liberty  to  select  such 
grass  as  suits  them.     It  may  therefore  be  set  down 


METHOD    OF    ■MARCHING.  91 

as  an  infallible  rule  never  to  be  departed  from,  tbat 
all  animals,  excepting  such  as  will  be  likely  to  stam- 
pede, should  be  turned  loose  for  grazing  immedi- 
ately after  arriving  at  the  camping-place ;  but  it  is 
equally  important  that  they  should  be  carefully 
herded  as  near  the  camp  as  good  grass  will  admit ; 
and  those  that  it  is  necessary  to  picket  should  be 
placed  upon  the  best  grass,  and  their  places  changed 
often.  The  ropes  to  which  they  are  attached  should 
be  about  forty  feet  long ;  the  picket-pins,  of  iron, 
fifteen  inches  long,  with  ring  and  SAvivel  at  top,  so 
that  the  rope  shall  not  twist  as  the  animal  feeds 
around  it ;  and  the  pins  must  be  firmly  driven  into 
tenacious  earth. 

Animals  should  be  herded  during  the  day  at  such 
distances  as  to  leave  sufficient  grass  undisturbed 
around  and  near  the  camp  for  grazing  through  the 
night. 

METHOD  OF  MAECHING. 

Among  men  of  limited  ex23erience  in  frontier  life 
will  be  found  a  great  diversity  of  oj)inion  regarding 
the  best  methods  of  marching,  and  of  treating  ani- 
mals in  expeditions  upon  the  prairies.  Some  will 
make  late  starts  and  travel  during  the  heat  of  the 
day  without  nooning,  while  others  will  start  early 
and  make  two  marches,  laying  by  during  the  mid- 
dle of  the  day ;  some  will  picket  their  animals  con- 
tinually in  camp,  while  others  will  herd  them  day 
and  night,  etc.,  etc.   For  mounted  troops,  or,  indeed, 


92  PEAIKIE   TKAVELEE. 

for  any  body  of  men  traveling  witli  horses  and  mules, 
a  few  general  rules  may  be  specified  which  have  the 
sanction  of  mature  experience,  and  a  deviation  from 
them  will  inevitably  result  in  consequences  highly 
detrimental  to  the  best  interests  of  an  expedition. 

In  ordmary  marches  through  a  country  where 
grass  and  water  are  abundant  and  good,  animals  re- 
ceiving proper  attention  should  not  fall  away,  even 
if  they  receive  no  grain ;  and,  as  I  said  before,  they 
should  not  be  made  to  travel  faster  than  a  walk  un- 
less absolutely  necessary ;  neither  should  they  be 
taken  off  the  road  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  or 
chasing  buffalo,  as  one  buffalo-chase  injures  them 
more  than  a  week  of  moderate  riding.  In  the  vi- 
cinity of  hostile  Indians,  the  animals  must  be  care- 
fully herded  and  guarded  within  protection  of  the 
camp,  while  those  picketed  should  be  changed  as 
often  as  the  grass  is  eaten  off  within  the  circle  de- 
scribed by  the  tether-rope.  At  night  they  should 
be  brought  within  the  chain  of  sentinels  and  pick- 
eted as  compactly  as  is  consistent  Avith  the  space 
needed  for  grazing,  and  under  no  circumstances, 
unless  the  Indians  are  known  to  be  near  and  an  at- 
tack is  to  be  expected,  should  they  be  tied  up  to  a 
picket  Hue  where  they  can  get  no  grass.  Unless 
allowed  to  graze  at  night  they  will  fall  away  raj^id- 
ly,  and  soon  become  unserviceable.  It  is  much  bet- 
ter to  march  after  nightfall,  turn  some  distance  off 
the  road,  and  to  encamp  without  fires  in  a  depressed 
locality  where  the  Indians  can  not  track  the  party, 
and  the  animals  may  l)c  picketed  without  danger. 


METHOD  OF  :marciitxg.  93 

In  descending  abrupt  hills  and  mountains  one 
wheel  of  a  loaded  wagon  should  always  be  locked, 
as  this  relieves  the  wheel  animals  and  makes  every 
thing  more  secure.  When  the  declivity  is  great 
both  rear  wdieels  should  be  locked,  and  if  very  ab- 
ru]3t,  requiring  great  effort  on  the  wheel  animals  to 
hold  the  wagon,  the  wheels  should  be  rough-locked 
by  lengthening  the  lock-chains  so  that  the  part 
which  goes  around  the  wheels  will  come  directly 
upon  the  ground,  and  thus  create  more  friction. 
Occasionally,  however,  hills  are  met  with  so  nearly 
perpendicular  that  it  becomes  necessary  to  attach 
ropes  to  the  rear  axle,  and  to  station  men  to  hold 
back  upon  them  and  steady  the  vehicle  down  the 
descent.  Rough-locking  is  a  very  safe  method  of 
passing  heavy  artillery  down  abrupt  declivities. 
There  are  several  mountains  between  the  Missouri 
River  and  California  where  it  is  necessary  to  resort 
to  one  of  the  two  last-mentioned  methods  in  order 
to  descend  with  security.  If  there  are  no  lock-chains 
upon  wagons,  the  front  and  rear  wheels  on  the  same 
side  may  be  tied  together  with  roj)es  so  as  to  lock 
them  very  firmly. 

It  is  an  old  and  well-established  custom  among 
men  experienced  in  frontier  life  always  to  cross  a 
stream  upon  which  it  is  intended  to  encamp  for  the 
night,  and  this  rule  should  never  be  departed  from 
where  a  stream  is  to  be  forded,  as  a  rise  during  the 
night  might  detain  the  traveler  for  several  days  in 
awaiting  the  fall  of  the  waters. 


94  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

STORMS. 

In  Western  Texas,  during  the  autumn  and  winter 
months,  storms  arise  very  suddenly,  and,  when  ac- 
companied by  a  north  wind,  are  very  severe  upon 
men  and  animals ;  indeed,  they  are  sometimes  so  ter- 
rific as  to  make  it  necessary  for  travelers  to  hasten 
to  the  nearest  sheltered  place  to  save  the  lives  of 
their  animals.  When  these  storms  come  from  the 
north,  they  are  called  '•^  7iorthers  f  and  as,  during 
the  winter  season,  the  temperature  often  undergoes 
a  sudden  change  of  many  degrees  at  the  time  the 
storm  sets  in,  the  perspiration  is  checked,  and  the 
system  receives  an  instantaneous  shock,  against 
which  it  requires  great  vital  energy  to  bear  up. 
Men  and  animals  are  not,  in  this  mild  chmate,  pre- 
pared for  these  capricious  meteoric  revolutions,  and 
they  not  unfrequently  perish  under  their  efiects. 

While  passing  near  the  head  waters  of  the  Colo- 
rado in  October,  1849,  I  left  one  of  my  camps  at 
an  early  hour  in  the  morning  under  a  mild  and  soft 
atmosphere,  with  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  south, 
but  had  marched  only  a  short  distance  when  the 
wind  suddenly  whipped  around  into  the  north, 
bringing  with  it  a  furious  chilling  rain,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  road  became  so  soft  and  heavy  as  to 
make  the  labor  of  pulling  the  wagons  over  it  very 
exhausting  upon  the  mules,  and  they  came  into 
camp  in  a  profuse  sweat,  with  the  rain  pouring 
down  in  torrents  upon  them. 


STORMS.  95 

They  were  turned  out  of  harness  into  the  most 
sheltered  place  that  could  be  found ;  but,  instead  of 
eating,  as  was  their  custom,  they  turned  their  heads 
from  the  wind,  and  remained  in  that  position,  chilled 
and  trembling,  without  making  the  least  effort  to 
move.  The  rain  continued  with  unabated  fury 
during  the  entire  day  and  night,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing morning  thirty-five  out  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
mules  had  perished,  while  those  remaining  could 
hardly  be  said  to  have  had  a  spark  of  vitality  left. 
They  were  drawn  up  with  the  cold,  and  could  with 
difiiculty  walk.  Tents  and  wagon-covers  were  cut 
up  to  protect  them,  and  they  were  then  driven 
about  ^or  some  time,  until  a  little  vital  energy  was 
restored,  after  which  they  commenced  eating  grass, 
but  it  was  three  or  four  days  before  they  recovered 
sufficiently  to  resume  the  march. 

The  mistake  I  made  was  in  driving  the  mules 
after  the  "norther"  commenced.  Had  I  gone  im- 
mediately into  camp,  before  they  became  heated 
and  wearied,  they  would  probably  have  eaten  the 
grass,  and  this,  I  have  no  doubt,  would  have  saved 
them;  but  as  it  was,  their  blood  became  heated 
from  overwork,  and  the  sudden  chill  brought  on  a 
reaction  which  proved  fatal.  If  an  animal  will  eat 
his  forage  plentifully,  there  is  but  little  danger  of 
his  perishing  with  cold.  This  I  assert  with  much 
confidence,  as  I  once,  when  traveling  with  about 
1500  horses  and  mules,  encountered  the  most  ter- 
rific snow-storm  that  has  been  known  within  the 


96  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

memory  of  the  oldest  mountaineers.  It  commenced 
on  the  last  day  of  April,  and  continued  without  ces- 
sation for  sixty  consecutive  hours.  The  day  had 
been  mild  and  pleasant ;  the  green  grass  was  about 
six  inches  high ;  the  trees  had  put  out  their  new 
leaves,  and  all  nature  conspired  to  show  that  the 
sombre  garb  of  winter  had  been  jpermanently  su- 
perseded by  the  smiling  attire  of  spring.  About 
dark,  however,  the  wind  turned  into  the  north ;  it 
commenced  to  snow  violently,  and  increased  until 
it  became  a  frightful  tempest,  filhng  the  atmosphere 
with  a  dense  cloud  of  driving  snow,  against  which 
it  was  impossible  to  ride  or  walk.  Soon  after  the 
storm  set  in,  one  herd  of  three  hundred  horses  and 
mules  broke  away  from  the  herdsmen  wha  were 
around  them,  and,  in  spite  of  all  their  efforts,  ran  at 
full  speed,  directly  with  the  w^md  and  snow,  for 
fifty  miles  before  they  stopped. 

Three  of  the  herdsmen  followed  them  as  far  as 
they  were  able,  but  soon  became  exhausted  and  lost 
on  the  prairie.  One  of  them  found  his  way  back  to 
camp  in  a  state  of  great  prostration  and  suffering. 
One  of  the  others  was  found  dead,  and  the  third 
crawlhig  about  upon  his  hands  and  knees,  after  the 
storm  ceased. 

It  happened,  fortunately,  that  I  had  reserved  a 
quantity  of  corn  to  be  used  in  the  event  of  finding 
a  scarcity  of  grass,  and  as  soon  as  the  ground  be- 
came covered  with  snow,  so  that  the  animals  could 
not  get  at  the  grass,  I  fed  out  the  corn,  which  I  am 


STORMS.  97 

induced  to  believe  saved  their  lives.  Indeed,  they 
did  not  seem  to  be  at  all  afiected  by  this  prolonged 
and  unseasonable  tempest.  This  occurred  u]3on  the 
summit  of  the  elevated  ridge  dividing  the  waters 
of  the  Arkansas  and  South  Platte  Rivers,  where 
storms  are  said  to  be  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  greater  part  of  the  animals  that  stampeded 
were  recovered  after  the  storm,  and,  although  they 
had  traveled  a  hundred  miles  at  a  very  rapid  pace, 
they  did  not  seem  to  be  much  affected  by  it. 
G 


98  PEAIBIE   TRAVELER. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Packing.  —  Saddles.  —  Mexican  Method.  —  Madrina,  or  Bell- 
mare. — Attachment  of  the  Mule  illustrated. — Best  Method 
of  Packing.  —  Hoppling  Animals.  —  Selecting  Horses  and 
Mules. — Grama  and  bunch  Grass. — European  Saddles. — 
California  Saddle.  —  Saddle  Wounds.  —  Alkali.  —Flies.— 
Colic. — Rattlesnake  Bites. — Cures  for  the  Bite. 

PACKING  AND  DRIVING. 

"With  a  train  of  pack  animals  properly  organized 
and  equipped,  a  party  may  travel  with  much  com- 
fort and  celerity.  It  is  enabled  to  take  short  cuts, 
and  move  over  the  country  in  almost  any  direction 
without  regard  to  roads.  Mountains  and  broken 
ground  may  easily  be  traversed,  and  exemption  is 
gained  from  many  of  the  troubles  and  detentions 
attendant  upon  the  transit  of  cumbersome  wagon- 
trams. 

One  of  the  most  essential  requisites  to  the  outfit 
of  a  pack  train  is  a  good  pack-saddle.  Various  pat- 
terns are  in  use,  many  of  which  are  mere  mstru- 
ments  of  torture  upon  the  backs  of  the  poor  brutes, 
lacerating  them  cruelly,  and  causing  continued 
pain. 

The  Mexicans  use  a  leathern  pack-saddle  without 
a  tree.     It  is  stuffed  with  hay,  and  is  very  large. 


PACKING    AND    DEIVING. 


9.9 


covering  almost  the  entire  back,  and  extending  far 
down  the  sides.  It  is  secured  with  a  broad  hair 
girth,  and  the  load  is  kept  in  position  by  a  lash- 
rope  drawn  by  two  men  so  tight  as  to  give  the  un- 
fortimate  beast  intense  suffering. 

A  pack-saddle  is  made  by  T.  Grimsley,  No.  41 
Main  Street,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  It  is  open  at  the  top, 
with  a  light,  compact,  and  strong  tree,  which  fits 
the  animal's  back  well,  and  is  covered  with  raw 


GEIMSLET'8  PACK-SABDLE. 

hide,  put  on  green,  and  drawn  tight  by  the  con- 
traction in  drying.  It  has  a  leathern  breast-strap, 
breeching,  and  lash-strap,  with  a  broad  hair  girth 
fastened  in  the  Mexican  fashion.  Of  sixty-five  of 
these  saddles  that  I  used  in  crossmg  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  over  an  exceedingly  rough  and  broken 
section,  not  one  of  them  woimded  a  mule's  back, 


100  PEAIEIE   TRAVELEK. 

and  I  regard  them  as  the  best  saddles  I  have  ever 
seen. 

No  people,  probably,  are  more  familiar  with  the 
art  of  packing  than  the  Mexicans.  They  under- 
stand the  habits,  disposition,  and  powers  of  the 
mule  perfectly,  and  will  get  more  work  out  of  him 
than  any  other  men  I  have  ever  seen.  TJie  mule 
and  the  donkey  are  to  them  as  the  camel  to  the 
Ai-ab — their  porters  over  deserts  and  mountains 
where  no  other  means  of  transportation  can  be 
used  to  advantage.  The  Spanish  Mexicans  are, 
however,  cruel  masters,  having  no  mercy  upon  their 
beasts,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  them  to 
load  their  mules  with  the  enormous  burden  of  three 
or  four  hundred  pomids. 

These  muleteers  believe  that,  when  the  pack  is 
firmly  lashed,  the  animal  suj^ports  his  burden  better 
and  travels  with  greater  ease,  which  seems  quite 
probable,  as  the  tension  forms,  as  it  were,  an  ex- 
ternal sheath  supporting  and  bracing  the  muscles. 
It  also  has  a  tendency  to  prevent  the  saddle  from 
slipping  and  chafing  the  mule's  back.  With  such 
huge  cargas  as  the  Mexicans  load  upon  their  mules, 
it  IS  impossible,  by  any  precautions,  to  prevent  their 
backs  and  withers  from  becoming  horribly  mangled, 
and  it  is  common  to  see  them  working  their  animals 
day  after  day  in  this  miserable  plight.  This  heavy 
packing  causes  the  scars  that  so  often  mark  Mexi- 
can mules. 

The  animal,  in  startmg  out  from  camp  in  the 


PACKING   AND    DRIVING.  101 

morning,  groaning  under  the  weight  of  his  heavy 
burden,  seems  hardly  able  to  move ;  but  the  pack 
soon  settles,  and  so  loosens  the  lashing  that  after  a 
short  time  he  moves  along  with  more  ease.  Con- 
stant care  and  vigilance  on  the  part  of  the  mule- 
teers are  necessary  to  prevent  the  packs  from  work- 
ing loose  and  falling  oif.  The  adjustment  of  a  car- 
ga  upon  a  mule  does  not,  however,  detain  the  cara- 
van, as  the  others  move  on  while  it  is  being  righted. 
If  the  mules  are  suffered  to  halt,  they  are  apt  to  lie 
down,  and  it  is  very  difficult  for  them,  with  their 
loads,  to  rise;  besides,  they  are  likely  to  strain 
themselves  in  their  efforts  to  do  so.  The  Mexicans, 
in  traveling  with  large  caravans,  usually  make  the 
day's  march  without  nooning,  as  too  much  time 
would  be  consumed  in  unloading  and  packing  up 
agam. 

Packs,  when  taken  off  in  camp,  should  be  piled 
in  a  row  upon  the  ground,  and,  if  there  be  a  pros- 
pect of  rain,  the  saddles  should  be  placed  over  them, 
and  the  whole  covered  with  the  saddle-blankets  or 
canvas. 

The  muleteers  and  herders  should  be  mounted 
upon  well-trained  horses,  and  be  careful  to  keep  the 
animals  of  the  caravan  from  wandering  or  scatter- 
ing along  the  road.  This  can  easily  be  done  by 
having  some  of  the  men  riding  upon  each  side,  and 
others  in  rear  of  the  caravan. 

In  herding  mules  it  is  customary  among  prairie 
travelers  to  have  a  bell-mare,  to  which  the  mules 


102  PRAIRIE   TEAYELEE. 

soon  become  so  attached  that  they  will  follow  her 
wherever  she  goes.  By  keeping  her  in  charge  of 
one  of  the  herdsmen,  the  herds  are  easily  controlled; 
and  durmg  a  stampede,  if  the  herdsman  mounts  her, 
and  rushes  ahead  toward  camp,  they  will  generally 
follow. 

In  crossing  rivers  the  bell-mare  should  pass  first, 
after  which  the  mules  are  easily  induced  to  take  to 
the  water  and  pass  over,  even  if  they  have  to  swim. 
Mules  are  good  swimmers  unless  they  happen,  by 
plunging  off  a  high  bank,  to  get  water  in  their  ears, 
when  they  are  often  droT;vTied.  Whenever  a  mule 
in  the  water  drops  his  ears,  it  is  a  sure  indication 
that  he  has  water  in  them,  and  he  should  be  taken 
out  as  soon  as  possible.  To  prevent  accidents  of 
this  nature,  where  the  water  is  deep  and  the  banks 
abrupt,  the  mule  herds  should  be  allowed  to  enter 
slowly,  and  without  crowding,  as  otherwise  they 
are  not  only  hkely  to  get  their  heads  under  water, 
but  to  throw  each  other  over  and  get  injured. 

The  tnadrma^  or  bell-mare,  acts  a  most  import- 
ant part  in  a  herd  of  mules,  and  is  regarded  by  ex- 
perienced campaigners  as  indispensable  to  their  se- 
curity. She  is  selected  for  her  quiet  and  regular 
habits.  She  will  not  wander  far  from  the  camp.  If 
she  happen  to  have  a  colt  by  her  side,  this  is  no  ob- 
jection, as  the  mules  soon  form  the  most  devoted 
attachment  to  it.  I  have  often  seen  them  leave 
their  grazing  when  very  lumgry,  and  flock  around 
a  small  colt,  manifesting  their  delight  by  rubbing  it 


PACKING   AND   DEIVING.  103 

with  their  noses,  licking  it  with  their  tongues,  kick- 
ing up  their  heels,  and  making  a  variety  of  other 
grotesque  demonstrations  of  affection,  while  the 
poor  little  colt,  perfectly  unconscious  of  the  cause 
of  these  ungainly  caresses,  stood  trembling  with  fear, 
but  unable  to  make  his  escape  from  the  compact 
ch'cle  of  his  muhsh  admirers.  Horses  and  asses  are 
also  used  as  bell  animals,  and  the  mules  soon  become 
accustomed  to  following  them.  If  a  man  leads  or 
rides  a  bell  animal  in  advance,  the  mules  follow,  like 
so  many  dogs,  in  the  most  orderly  procession. 

"  After  traveling  about  fourteen  miles,"  says  Bay- 
ard Taylor,  "  we  were  joined  by  three  miners,  and 
our  mules,  taking  a  sudden  liking  for  their  horses, 
jogged  on  at  a  more  brisk  pace.  The  instincts  of 
the  mulish  heart  form  an  interesting  study  to  the 
traveler  in  the  mountains.  I  would  (were  the  com- 
parison not  too  ungallant)  liken  it  to  a  woman's,  for 
it  is  quite  as  uncertain  in  its  sympathies,  bestowing 
its  affections  when  least  expected,  and,  when  be- 
stowed, quite  as  constant,  so  long  as  the  object  is 
not  taken  away.  Sometimes  a  horse,  sometimes 
an  ass,  captivates  the  fancy  of  a  whole  drove  of 
mules,  but  often  an  animal  nowise  akin.  Lieutenant 
Beale  told  me  that  his  whole  train  of  mules  once 
galloped  off  suddenly,  on  the  plains  of  the  Cima- 
rone,  and  ran  half  a  mile,  when  they  halted  in  ap- 
parent satisfaction.  The  cause  of  their  freak  was 
found  to  be  a  buffalo  calf  which  had  strayed  from 
the  herd.    They  were  frisking  around  it  in  the  great- 


104  PKAIEIE  TEAVELER. 

est  delight,  rubbing  tlieir  noses  against  it,  throwing 
lip  their  heels,  and  making  themselves  ridiculous  by 
abortive  attempts  to  neigh  and  bray,  while  the  calf, 
imconscious  of  its  attractive  qualities,  stood  trem- 
bling in  their  midst." 

"  If  several  large  troops,"  says  Charles  Darwin, 
"  are  turned  into  one  field  to  graze  in  the  morning, 
the  muleteer  has  only  to  lead  the  madrinas  a  little 
apart  and  tinkle  their  bells,  and,  although  there 
may  be  200  or  300  mules  together,  each  immedi- 
ately knows  its  own  bell,  and  separates  itself  from 
the  rest.  The  affection  of  these  animals  for  their 
madrina  saves  infinite  trouble.  It  is  nearly  impos- 
sible to  lose  an  old  mule,  for,  if  detained  several 
hours  by  force,  she  will,  by  the  power  of  smell, 
like  a  dog,  track  out  her  companions,  or  rather  the 
madrina ;  .for,  according  to  the  muleteer,  she  is  the 
chief  object  of  afiection.  The  feeling,  however,  is 
not  of  an  individual  nature,  for  I  beheve  I  am  right 
in  saying  that  any  animal  with  a  beU  will  serve  as  a 
madrina." 

Of  the  attachment  that  a  mule  will  form  for  a 
horse,  I  will  cite  an  instance  from  my  own  observa- 
tion, which  struck  me  at  the  time  as  being  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  and  touching  evidences  of  de- 
votion that  I  have  ever  known  among  the  brute 
creation. 

On  leaving  Fort  Leavenworth  with  the  army  for 
Utah  in  1857,  one  of  the  officers  rode  a  small  mule, 
whose  kind  and  gentle  disposition  soon  caused  him 


PACKIIS'G   AND    DRIVING.  105 

to  become  a  favorite  among  the  soldiers,  and  they 
named  him  "Billy."  As  this  officer  and  myself 
were  often  thrown  together  upon  the  march,  the 
mule,  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  evinced  a  grow- 
ing attachment  for  a  mare  that  I  rode.  The  senti- 
ment was  not,  however,  reciprocated  on  her  j^art, 
and  she  intimated  as  much  by  the  reversed  position 
of  her  ears,  and  the  free  exercise  of  her  feet  and 
teeth  whenever  Billy  came  within  her  reach ;  but 
these  signal  marks  of  displeasure,  instead  of  dis- 
couraging, rather  seemed  to  increase  his  devotion, 
and  whenever  at  liberty  he  invariably  sought  to 
get  near  her,  and  appeared  much  distressed  when 
not  permitted  to  follow  her. 

On  leaving  Camp  Scott  for  ISTew  Mexico  Billy 
was  among  the  number  of  mules  selected  for  the 
expedition.  During  the  march  I  was  in  the  habit, 
when  starting  out  from  camp  in  the  morning,  of 
leading  oif  the  party,  and  directmg  the  packmen  to 
hold  the  mule  until  I  should  get  so  far  in  advance 
with  the  mare  that  he  could  not  see  us ;  but  the 
moment  he  was  released  he  would,  m  spite  of  all 
the  efforts  of  the  packers,  start  off  at  a  most  furi- 
ous pace,  and  never  stop  or  cease  braying  until  he 
reached  the  mare's  side.  We  soon  found  it  impos- 
sible to  keep  him  with  the  other  mules,  and  he  was 
finally  permitted  to  have  his  own  way. 

In  the  course  of  time  we  encountered  the  deep 
snows  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where  the  animals 
could  get  no  forage,  and  Billy,  in  common  with 


106  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

the  others,  at  length  became  so  weak  and  jaded 
that  he  was  unable  any  longer  to  leave  his  place  in 
the  caravan  and  break  a  track  through  the  snow 
around  to  the  front.  He  made  frequent  attempts 
to  turn  out  and  force  his  way  ahead,  but  after  nu- 
merous unsuccessful  efforts  he  would  fall  down  ex- 
hausted, and  set  up  a  most  mournful  braying. 

The  other  mules  soon  began  to  fail,  and  to  be  left, 
worn  out  and  famished,  to  die  by  the  wayside ;  it 
was  not,  however,  for  some  time  that  Billy  showed 
symptoms  of  becoming  one  of  the  victims,  until  one 
evening  after  our  arrival  at  camp  I  was  informed 
that  he  had  dropped  down  and  been  left  upon  the 
road  during  the  day.  The  men  all  deplored  his  loss 
exceedingly,  as  his  devotion  to  the  mare  had  touch- 
ed their  kind  hearts,  and  many  expressions  of  sym- 
pathy were  uttered  around  their  bivouac  fii'es  on 
that  evenmg. 

Much  to  our  surprise,  however,  about  ten  o'clock, 
just  as  we  were  about  going  to  sleep,  we  heard  a 
mule  braying  about  half  a  mile  to  the  rear  upon  our 
trail.  Sure  enough,  it  proved  to  be  Billy,  who, 
after  having  rested,  had  followed  upon  our  track 
and  overtaken  us.  As  soon  as  he  reached  the  side 
of  the  mare  he  lay  down  and  seemed  perfectly  con- 
tented. 

The  next  day  I  relieved  him  from  his  pack,  and 
allowed  him  to  run  loose ;  but  during  the  march  he 
gave  out,  and  was  again  abandoned  to  his  fate,  and 
this  time  we  certainly  never  expected  to  see  liini 


PACKING   AND   DRIVING.  107 

more.  To  our  great  astonishment,  however,  about 
twelve  o'clock  that  night  the  sonorous  but  not  very 
musical  notes  of  Billy  in  the  distance  aroused  us 
from  our  slumbers,  and  again  announced  his  ap- 
proach. In  an  instant  the  men  were  upon  their 
feet,  gave  three  hearty  cheers,  and  rushed  out  in  a 
body  to  meet  and  escort  him  into  camp. 

But  this  well-meant  ovation  elicited  no  response 
from  him.  He  came  reeling  and  floundering  along 
through  the  deep  snow,  perfectly  regardless  of  these 
honors,  pushing  aside  all  those  who  occupied  the 
trail  or  interrupted  his  progress  in  the  least,  wan- 
dered about  until  he  found  the  mare,  dropped  down 
by  her  side,  and  remained  until  morning. 

When  we  resumed  our  march  on  the  following 
day  he  made  another  desperate  effort  to  proceed, 
but  soon  fell  down  exhausted,  when  we  reluctantly 
abandoned  him,  and  saw  him  no  more. 

Alas !  poor  Billy !  your  constancy  deserved  a 
better  fate ;  you  may,  mdeed,  be  said  to  have  been 
a  victim  to  imrequited  affection. 

The  articles  to  be  transported  should  be  made  up 
into  two  packages  of  precisely  equal  weight,  and  as 
nearly  equal  in  bulk  as  practicable,  otherwise  they 
will  sway  the  saddle  over  to  one  side,  and  cause  it 
to  chafe  the  animal's  back. 

The  packages  made,  two  ropes  about  six  feet 
long  are  fastened  around  the  ends  by  a  slij^-knot, 
and  if  the  packages  contain  corn  or  other  articles 
that  will  shift  al)out,  small  sticks  shoiihl  be  plnced 


108  PRAIRIE   TRAVELElt. 

between  the  sacks  and  the  ropes,  which  equalizes 
the  pressure  and  keeps  the  packages  snug.  The 
ropes  are  then  looped  at  the  ends,  and  made  pre- 
cisely of  the  same  length,  so  that  the  packs  will 
balance  and  come  up  well  toward  the  top  of  the 
saddle.  Two  men  then,  each  taking  a  pack,  go 
upon  opposite  sides  of  the  mule,  that  has  been  pre- 
viously saddled,  and,  raising  the  packs  sumiltaneous- 
ly,  place  the  loops  over  the  pommel  and  cantel,  set- 
tling them  well  down  into  their  places.  The  lash- 
ing-strap is  then  thrown  over  the  top,  brought 
through  the  rings  upon  each  side,  and  drawn  as 
tight  at  every  turn  as  the  two  men  on  the  sides  can 
pull  it,  and,  after  having  been  carried  back  and 
forth  diagonally  across  the  packs  as  often  as  its 
length  admits  (generally  three  or  four  times),  it  is 
made  fast  to  one  of  the  rings,  and  securely  tied  in 
a  slip-knot. 

The  breast-strap  and  breeching  must  not  be  buck- 
led so  close  as  to  chafe  the  skin ;  the  girth  should 
be  broad  and  soft  where  it  comes  opposite  the  fore 
legs,  to  prevent  cutting  them.  Leather  girths 
should  be  wrapped  with  cloth  or  bound  with  soft 
material.  The  hair  girth,  being  soft  and  elastic,  is 
much  better  than  leather. 

The  crupper  should  never  be  dispensed  with  in  a 
mountainous  country,  but  it  must  be  soft,  round, 
and  about  an  inch  in  diameter  where  it  comes  in 
contact  mth  the  tail,  otherwise  it  will  wound  the 
animal  in  making  long  and  abrupt  descents. 


PACKING   AND   DEIVING.  109 

In  Norway  they  use  a  short  round  stick,  about 
ten  inches  long,  which  j^asses  under  the  tail,  and 
from  each  end  of  this  a  cord  connects  with  the 
saddle. 

Camp-kettles,  tin  vessels,  and  other  articles  that 
will  rattle  and  be  Hkely  to  frighten  animals,  should 
be  firmly  lashed  to  the  packs.  When  the  packs 
work  loose,  the  lash-strap  should  be  untied,  and  a 
man  upon  each  side  draw  it  up  again  and  make  it 
fast.  When  ropes  are  used  for  lashing,  they  may  be 
tightened  by  twisting  them  with  a  short  stick  and 
making  the  stick  fast. 

One  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  is  a  suffi- 
cient load  for  a  mule  upon  a  long  journey. 

In  traveling  over  a  rocky  country,  and  upon  all 
long  journeys,  horses  and  mules  should  be  shod,  to 
prevent  their  hoofs  wearing  out  or  breaking.  The 
mountaineers  contend  that  beasts  travel  better  with- 
out shoeing,  but  I  have  several  times  had  occasion 
to  regret  the  omission  of  this  very  necessary  pre- 
caution. A  few  extra  shoes  and  nails,  with  a  small 
hammer,  will  enable  travelers  to  keep  then*  animals 
shod. 

In  turning  out  pack  animals  to  graze,  it  is  weU 
either  to  keep  the  lariat  ropes  upon  them  with  the 
ends  trailing  upon  the  ground,  or  to  hopple  them, 
as  no  corral  can  be  made  into  which  they  may  be 
driven  in  order  to  catch  them.  A  very  good  way 
to  catch  an  animal  without  drivinoj  him  into  an  m- 
closure  is  for  two  men  to  take  a  long  rope  and  stretch 


110  PEAIKIE   TEAVELEK. 

it  out  at  the  height  of  the  animal's  neck ;  some  men 
then  drive  him  slowly  up  against  it,  when  one  of  the 
men  with  the  rope  runs  around  behind  the  animal 
and  back  to  the  front  again,  thus  taking  a  turn  with 
the  rope  around  his  neck  and  holding  him  secure. 

To  prevent  an  animal  from  kicking,  take  a  forked 
stick  and  make  the  forked  part  fast  to  the  bridle- 
bit,  bringing  the  two  ends  above  the  head  and  se- 
curing them  there,  leaving  the  part  of  the  stick  be- 
low the  fork  of  sufficient  length  to  reach  near  the 
ground  when  the  animal's  head  is  in  its  natural  po- 
sition. He  can  not  kick  up  unless  he  lowers  his 
head,  and  the  stick  effectually  prevents  that. 

Tether-ropes  should  be  so  attached  to  the  neck 
of  the  animal  as  not  to  slip  and  choke  him,  and  the 
picket-pins  never  be  left  on  the  ropes  except  Avhen 
in  the  ground,  as,  in  the  event  of  a  stampede,  they 
are  very  hkely  to  swing  around  and  injure  the  an- 
imals. 

Many  experienced  travelers  were  formerly  in  the 
habit  of  securing  their  animals  with  a  strap  or  iron 
ring  fastened  around  the  fetlock  of  one  fore  foot, 
and  this  attached  to  the  tether-rope.  This  method 
holds  the  animal  very  securely  to  the  picket-pin,  but 
when  the  rope  is  first  put  on,  and  before  he  becomes 
accustomed  to  it,  he  is  liable  to  throw  himself  down 
and  get  hurt ;  so  that  I  think  the  -plsm  of  tethering 
by  the  neck  or  halter  is  the  safest,  and,  so  far  as  I 
have  observed,  is  now  universally  practiced. 

The  mountameers  and  Indians  seldom  tether  their 


PACKING   AND   DRIVING.  Ill 

animals,  but  prefer  the  plan  of  hoppling,  as  this  gives 
them  more  latitude  for  ranging  and  selectmg  the 
choicest  grass. 

Two  methods  of  hoppling  are  practiced  among 
the  Indians  and  hunters  of  the  West :  one  with  a 
strap  about  two  feet  long  buckling  around  the  fore 
legs  above  the  fetlock  joints ;  the  other  is  what  they 
term  the  "  side  liopple^^  which  is  made  by  buckhng 
a  strap  around  a  front  and  rear  leg  upon  the  same 
side.  In  both  cases  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
buckle  the  strap  so  tight  as  to  chafe  the  legs.  The 
latter  plan  is  the  best,  because  the  animal,  side- 
hoppled,  is  able  to  go  but  little  faster  than  a  walk, 
while  the  front  hopple  permits  him,  after  a  little 
practice,  to  gallop  off  at  considerable  speed.  If  the 
hopples  are  made  of  iron  connected  with  chains, 
like  handcuffs,  with  locks  and  keys,  it  will  be  im- 
possible for  the  Indians,  without  files,  to  cut  them ; 
but  the  parts  that  come  in  contact  with  the  legs 
should  be  covered  with  soft  leather. 

"  A  horse,"  says  Mr.  Galton,  "  may  be  hoppled 
with  a  stirrup-leather  by  placing  the  middle  around 
one  leg,  then  twisting  it  several  times  and  buckling 
it  round  the  other  leg.  When  you  wish  to  picket 
horses  in  the  middle  of  a  sandy  plain,  dig  a  hole 
two  or  three  feet  deep,  and,  tying  your  rope  to  a 
fagot  of  sticks  or  brushwood,  or  even  to  a  bag 
filled  with  sand,  bury  this  m  it." 

For  prairie  service,  horses  which  have  been  raised 
exclusively  upon  grass,  and  never  been  fed  on  grain, 


112  PEAIRIE   TEAVELEE. 

or  "  range  liorses^''  as  they  are  called  in  the  "West, 
are  decidedly  the  best,  and  will  perform  more  hard 
labor  than  those  that  have  been  stabled  and  groom- 
ed. The  large,  stout  ponies  found  among  some  of 
our  frontier  settlements  are  well  adapted  to  this 
service,  and  endure  admirably.  The  same  remarks 
hold  good  in  the  choice  of  mules;  and  it  will  be 
found  that  the  square-built,  big-bellied,  and  short- 
legged  Mexican  mule  will  endure  far  more  hard 
service,  on  short  allowance  of  forage,  than  the 
larger  American  mule  which  has  been  accustomed 
to  grain. 

In  our  trip  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  we  had 
both  the  American  and  Mexican  mules,  and  im- 
proved a  good  opportunity  of  giving  their  relative 
powers  of  endurance  a  thorough  service-trial.  For 
many  days  they  were  reduced  to  a  meagre  allow- 
ance of  dry  grass,  and  at  length  got  nothing  but 
pine  leaves,  while  their  work  in  the  deep  snow  was 
exceedingly  severe.  This  soon  told  upon  the  Amer- 
ican mules,  and  all  of  them,  with  the  exception  of 
two,  died,  while  most  of  the  Mexican  mules  went 
through.     The  result  was  perfectly  conclusive. 

We  found  that,  where  the  snow  was  not  more 
than  two  feet  deep,  the  animals  soon  learned  to  paw 
it  away  and  get  at  the  grass.  Of  course  they  do 
not  get  sufficient  in  this  way,  but  they  do  much 
better  than  one  would  suppose. 

In  Utah  and  New  Mexico  the  autumn  is  so  dry 
that  the  grass  does  not  lose  its  nutritious  properties 


PACKING   AND    DRIVING.  113 

by  being  washed  with  rains.  It  gradually  dries 
and  cures  like  hay,  so  that  animals  eat  it  freely, 
and  will  fatten  upon  it  even  in  mid-winter.  It  is 
seldom  that  any  gram  is  fed  to  stock  in  either  of 
these  territories. 

Several  of  the  varieties  of  grass  growing  upon 
the  slopes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  are  of  excel- 
lent quality;  among  these  may  be  mentioned  the 
Gramma  and  bunch  grasses.  Horses  and  mules 
turned  out  to  graze  always  prefer  the  grass  upon 
the  mountain  sides  to  grass  of  the  valleys. 

We  left  New  Mexico  about  the  first  of  March,  six 
weeks  before  the  new  grass  appeared,  with  1500 
animals,  many  of  them  low  in  flesh,  yet  they  im- 
proved upon  the  journey,  and  on  their  arrival  in 
Utah  were  all,  with  very  few  exceptions,  in  fine 
working  condition.  Had  this  march  been  made  at 
the  same  season  in  the  country  bordering  upon  the 
Missouri  River,  where  there  are  heavy  autumnal 
rains,  the  animals  would  probably  have  become 
very  poor. 

In  this  journey  the  herds  were  allowed  to  range 
over  the  best  grass  that  could  be  found,  but  were 
guarded  both  night  and  day  with  great  care,  where- 
as, if  they  had  been  corraled  or  picketed  at  night,  I 
dare  say  they  would  have  lost  flesh.* 

*  Some  curious  and  interesting  experiments  are  said  to  have 

been  recently  made  at  the  veterinary  school  at  Alfort,  near 

Paris,  by  order  of  the  minister  of  war,  to  ascertain  the  powers 

of  endurance  of  horses.     It  appears  that  a  horse  will  live  on 

H 


114  PKAIRIE   TEAVELER. 

SADDLES. 

Great  diversity  of  opinion  exists  regarding  the 
best  equipment  for  horses,  and  the  long-mooted 
question  is  as  yet  very  far  from  being  definitely 
settled. 

I  do  not  regard  the  opinions  of  Europeans  as 
having  a  more  direct  bearing  upon  this  question,  or 
as  tending  to  estabhsh  any  more  definite  and  posi- 
tive conclusions  regarding  it  than  have  been  devel- 
oped by  the  experience  of  our  own  border  citizens, 
the  major  part  of  whose  lives  has  been  spent  in  the 
saddle  ;  yet  I  am  confident  that  the  following  brief 
description  of  the  horse  equipments  used  in  dififer- 
ent  parts  of  Europe,  the  substance  of  which  I  have 
extracted  from  Captain  M'Clellan's  interesting  re- 
port, will  be  read  with  interest  and  instruction. 

The  saddle  used  by  the  African  chasseurs  consists 
of  a  plain  wooden  tree,  with  a  pad  upon  the  top,  but 
without  skirts,  and  is  somewhat  similar  to  our  own 
military  saddle,  but  lower  in  the  pommel  and  cantle. 

water  alone  five-and-twenty  days ;  seventeen  days  without 
eating  or  drinking ;  only  five  days  if  fed  and  unwatered ;  ten 
days  if  fed  and  insufficiently  watered.  A  horse  kept  without 
water  for  three  days  drank  one  hundred  and  four  pounds  of 
water  in  three  minutes.  It  was  found  that  a  horse  taken  im- 
mediately after  "feed,"  and  kept  in  the  active  exercise  of  the 
"squadron  school,"  completely  digested  its  "feed"  in  three 
hoiu's;  in  the  same  time  in  the  "conscript's  school"  its  food 
was  two  thirds  digested  ;  and  if  kept  perfectly  quiet  in  the 
stable,  its  digestion  was  scarcely  commenced  in  tJiree  hours. 


SADDLES.  115 

The  girth  and  surcingle  are  of  leather,  with  an  or- 
dinary woolen  saddle-blanket.  Their  bridle  has  a 
single  head-stall,  with  the  Spanish  bit  buckled  to  it. 

A  new  saddle  has  recently  been  introduced  into 
the  French  service  by  Captain  Cogent,  the  tree  of 
which  is  cut  out  of  a  single  piece  of  wood,  the  can- 
tie  only  being  glued  on,  and  a  piece  of  walnut  let 
into  the  pommel,  with  a  thin  strip  veneered  upon 
the  front  ends  of  the  bars.  The  pommel  and  cantle 
are  lower  than  in  the  old  model ;  the  Avhole  is  cov- 
ered with  w^et  raw  hide,  glued  on  and  sewed  at  the 
edges.  The  great  advantage  this  saddle  possesses 
is  in  being  so  arranged  that  it  may  be  used  for 
horses  of  all  sizes  and  conditions.  The  saddle-blank- 
et is  made  of  thick  felt  cloth,  and  is  attached  to  the 
pommel  by  a  small  strap  passing  through  holes  in 
the  blanket,  which  is  thus  prevented  from  slipping, 
and  at  the  same  time  it  raises  the  saddle  so  as  to 
admit  a  free  circulation  of  air  over  the  horse's  spine. 

The  Hungarian  saddle  is  made  of  hard  wood  en- 
tirely uncovered,  with  a  raised  pommel  and  cantle. 
The  seat  is  formed  with  a  leather  strap  four  inches 
wide  nailed  to  the  forks  on  the  front  and  rear,  and 
secured  to  the  side-boards  by  leather  thongs,  thus 
giving  an  elastic  and  easy  saddle-seat.  This  is  also 
the  form  of  the  saddle-tree  used  by  the  Russian  and 
Austrian  cavalry.  The  Russians  have  a  leather  girth 
fastened  by  three  small  buckles :  it  passes  over  the 
tree,  and  is  tied  to  the  side-boards.  The  saddle- 
bkmket  is  of  stout  felt  cloth  in  four  thicknesses,  and 


116  PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

a  layer  of  black  leather  over  it,  and  the  whole  held 
together  by  leather  thongs  passmg  through  and 
through.  When  the  horse  falls  off  in  flesh,  more 
thicknesses  are  added,  and  "  vice  versaP  This  sad- 
dle-blanket is  regarded  by  the  Kussian  oflicers  as 
the  best  possible  arrangement.  The  Russians  use 
the  curb  and  snaffle-bits  made  of  steel. 

The  Cossack  saddle  has  a  thick  padding  under  the 
side-boards  and  on  the  seat,  which  raises  the  rider 
very  high  on  his  horse,  so  that  his  feet  are  above 
the  bottom  of  the  belly.  Their  bridle  has  but  a 
simple  snaffle-bit,  and  no  martingale. 

The  Prussian  cuirassiers  have  a  heavy  saddle  with 
a  low  pommel  and  cantle,  covered  with  leather,  but 
it  is  not  thought  by  Captain  M'Clellan  to  present 
any  thing  worthy  of  imitation. 

The  other  Prussian  cavalry  ride  the  Hungarian 
saddle,  of  a  heaAder  model  than  the  one  in  the  Aus- 
trian service.  The  surcmgle  is  of  leather,  and  fast- 
ens in  the  Mexican  style;  the  girth  is  also  of  leather, 
three  and  a  half  inches  wide,  with  a  large  buckle. 
It  is  in  two  parts,  attached  to  the  bars  by  raw-hide 
thongs.  The  curb  and  snaffle  steel  bits  are  used, 
and  attached  to  a  single  head-stall. 

The  English  cavalry  use  a  saddle  which  has  a  low- 
er cantle  and  pommel  than  our  Grimsley  saddle, 
covered  with  leather.  The  snaffle-bit  is  attached  to 
the  halter  head-stall  by  a  chain  and  T ;  the  curb  has 
a  separate  head-stall,  which  on  a  march  is  occasion- 
ally taken  off  and  hung  on  the  carbine  stock. 


SADDLES.  117 

The  Sardinian  saddle  has  a  bare  wooden  tree 
very  similar  to  the  Hungarian.  A  common  blanket, 
folded  in  twelve  thicknesses,  is  placed  under  it. 
The  girth  and  surcingle  are  of  leather. 

Without  expressing  any  opinion  as  to  the  com- 
parative merits  of  these  different  saddles,  I  may  be 
permitted  to  give  a  few  general  principles,  which  I 
regard  as  infallible  in  the  choice  of  a  saddle. 

The  side-boards  should  be  large,  and  made  to  con- 
form to  the  shape  of  the  horse's  back,  thereby  dis- 
tributing the  burden  over  a  large  surface.  It  should 
stand  up  well  above  the  spine,  so  as  to  admit  a  free 
circulation  of  air  under  it. 

For  long  journeys,  the  crupper,  where  it  comes  in 
contact  with  the  tail,  should  be  made  of  soft  leather. 
It  should  be  drawn  back  only  far  enough  to  hold 
the  saddle  from  the  withers.  Some  horses  require 
much  more  tension  upon  the  crupper  than  others. 
The  girth  should  be  made  broad,  of  a  soft  and  elas- 
tic material.  JThose  made  of  hair,  in  use  among  the 
Mexicans,  fulfill  the  precited  conditions. 

A  light  and  easy  bit,  which  will  not  fret  or  chafe 
the  horse,  is  recommended.'' 

The  saddle-blanket  must  be  folded  even  and 
smooth,  and  placed  on  so  as  to  cover  every  j^art  of 
the  back  that  comes  in  contact  with  the  saddle, 
and  in  warm  weather  it  is  well  to  place  a  gunny 
bag  under  the  blanket,  as  it  is  cooler  than  the  avooI. 

It  will  have  been  observed  that,  in  the  French 
service,  the  folded  saddle-blanket  is  tied  to  the 


118  PEAIEIE  TRAVELER. 

pommel  to  prevent  it  slipping  back.  This  is  well 
if  the  blanket  be  taken  oif  and  thoroughly  dried 
whenever  the  horse  is  unsaddled. 

A  saddle-blanket  made  of  moss  is  used  in  some 
of  the  Southwestern  States,  which  is  regarded  by- 
many  as  the  perfection  of  this  article  of  horse  equip- 
ment. It  is  a  mat  woven  into  the  proper  shape 
and  size  from  the  beaten  fibres  of  moss  that  hangs 
from  the  trees  in  our  Southern  States.  It  is  cheap, 
durable,  is  not  in  any  way  affected  by  sweat,  and 
does  not  chafe  or  heat  the  horse's  spine  like  the 
woolen  blanket.  Its  open  texture  allows  a  rapid 
evaporation,  which  tends  to  keep  the  back  cool, 
and  obviates  the  danger  of  stripping  and  sudden 
exposure  of  the  heated  parts  to  the  sun  and  air. 

The  experience  of  some  of  our  officers  who  have 
used  this  mat  for  years  in  Mexico  and  Texas  cor- 
roborates all  I  have  said  in  its  favor ;  and  they  are 
unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  a  horse  will  never  get 
a  sore  back  when  it  is  placed  under  a  good  saddle. 

A  saddle  made  by  the  Mexicans  in  California  is 
called  the  California  saddle.  This  is  extensively 
used  upon  the  Pacific  slope  of  the  mountains,  and 
is  believed  to  possess,  at  least,  as  many  advantages 
for  rough  frontier  service  as  any  other  pattern  that 
has  been  mvented.  Those  hardy  and  experienced 
veterans,  the  mountaineers,  could  not  be  persuaded 
to  ride  any  other  saddle,  and  their  ripened  knowl- 
edge of  such  matters  certainly  gives  weight  to  their 
conclusions. 


SADDLES. 


119 


The  merits  of  the  California  saddle  consist  in  its 
being  light,  strong,  and  compact,  and  conforming 
well  to  the  shape  of  the  horse.  When  strapped  on, 
it  rests  so  firmly  in  position  that  the  strongest  pull 
of  a  horse  upon  a  lariat  attached  to  the  pommel  can 


OAIIFOENIA  SADDLE. 


not  displace  it.  Its  shape  is  such  that  the  rider  is 
compelled  to  sit  nearly  erect,  with  his  legs  on  the 
continuation  of  the  line  of  the  body,  which  makes 
his  seat  more  secure,  and,  at  the  same  time,  gives 
him  a  better  control  over  his  arms  and  horse.    This 


120  PEAIRIE  TEAVELER. 

position  is  attained  by  setting  the  stirup-leathers 
farther  back  than  on  the  old-fashioned  saddle.  The 
pommel  is  high,  like  the  Mexican  saddle,  and  pre- 
vents the  rider  from  being  thrown  forward.  The 
tree  is  covered  with  raw  hide,  put  on  green,  and 
sewed;  when  this  dries  and  contracts  it  gives  it 
great  strength.  It  has  no  iron  in  its  composition, 
but  is  kept  together  by  buckskin  strings,  and  can 
easily  be  taken  to  pieces  for  mending  or  cleaning. 
It  has  a  hair  girth  about  five  inches  wide. 

The  whole  saddle  is  covered  with  a  large  and 
thick  sheet  of  sole-leather,  having  a  hole  to  lay  over 
the  pommel ;  it  extends  back  over  the  horse's  hips, 
and  protects  them  from  rain,  and  when  taken  off  in 
camp  it  furnishes  a  good  security  against  dampness 
when  placed  under  the  traveler's  bed. 

The  California  saddle-tree  is  regarded  by  many 
as  the  best  of  all  others  for  the  horse's  back,  and  as 
having  an  easier  seat  than  the  Mexican. 

General  Comte  de  la  Roche- Aymon,  in  his  treat- 
ise upon  "Light  Troops,"  published  in  Paris  in 
1856,  says: 

"In  nearly  all  the  European  armies  the  equip- 
ment of  the  horse  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  new 
tactics — with  those  tactics  in  which,  during  nearly 
all  of  a  campaign,  the  cavalry  remains  in  bivouac. 
Have  we  reflected  upon  the  kind  of  saddle  which, 
under  these  circumstances,  would  cover  the  horse 
best  without  incommoding  him  during  the  short 
periods  that  he  is  permitted  to  repose  ?    Have  we 


SADDLES.  121 

reflected  upon  the  kind  of  saddle  which,  offering 
the  least  fragility,  exposes  the  horse  to  the  least 
danger  of  sore  back?  All  the  cuirassiers  and  the 
dragoons  of  Europe  have  saddles  which  they  call 
Fixnch  saddle^  the  weight  of  which  is  a  load  for 
the  horse.  The  interior  mechanism  of  these  sad- 
dles is  complicated  and  filled  with  weak  bands  of 
iron,  which  become  deranged,  bend,  and  sometimes 
break ;  the  rider  does  not  perceive  these  accidents, 
or  he  does  not  wish  to  perceive  them,  for  fear  of 
being  left  behind  or  of  having  to  go  on  foot ;  he 
continues  on,  and  at  the  end  of  a  day's  march  his 
horse  has  a  sore  back,  and  in  a  few  days  is  absolute- 
ly unserviceable.  We  may  satisfy  ourselves  of  the 
truth  of  these  observations  by  comparing  the  lists 
of  horses  sent  to  the  rear  during  the  course  of  a 
campaign  by  the  cuirassiers  and  dragoons  who  use 
the  French  saddle,  and  by  the  hussars  with  the 
Hungarian  saddle.  The  number  sent  to  the  rear  by 
the  latter  is  infinitely  less,  although  employed  in  a 
service  much  more  active  and  severe ;  and  it  niight 
be  still  less  by  making  some  slight  improvements 
in  the  manner  of  fixing  their  saddle  upon  the  horse. 
"  It  is  a  long  time  since  Marshal  Saxe  said  there 
was  but  one  kind  of  saddle  fit  for  cavalry,  which 
was  the  hussar  saddle :  this  combined  all  advant- 
ages, lightness,  solidity,  and  economy.  It  is  as- 
tonishing that  the  system  of  actual  war  had  not  led 
to  the  employment  of  the  kmd  of  saddle  in  use 
among  the  Tartars,  the  Cossacks,  the  Himgarians, 


122  PEAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

and,  indeed,  among  all  horsemen  and  nomads. 
This  saddle  has  the  incontestable  advantage  of  per- 
mitting the  horse  to  lie  down  and  rest  himself  with- 
out inconvenience.  If,  notwithstanding  the  folded 
blanket  which  they  place  under  the  Hungarian  sad- 
dle, this  saddle  will  still  wound  the  animal's  back 
sometimes,  this  only  proceeds  from  the  friction  oc- 
casioned by  the  motion  of  the  horse  and  the  move- 
ment of  the  rider  upon  the  saddle ;  a  friction  which 
it  will  be  nearly  impossible  to  avoid,  inasmuch  as 
the  saddle-bow  is  held  in  its  place  only  by  a  surcin- 
gle, the  ends  of  which  are  united  by  a  leathern 
band :  these  bands  always  relax  more  or  less,  and 
the  saddle  becomes  loose.  To  remedy  this,  I  pro- 
pose to  attach  to  the  saddle-bow  itself  a  double 
girth,  one  end  of  which  shall  be  made  fast  to  the 
arch  in  front,  and  the  other  end  to  the  rear  of  the 
arch  upon  the  right  side,  to  unite  in  a  single  girth, 
which  would  buckle  to  a  strap  attached  upon  the 
left  side  in  the  usual  manner.  This  buckle  will 
hold'  the  saddle  firmly  in  its  place. 

"  [N'otwithstanding  all  these  precautions,  however, 
there  were  still  some  inconveniences  resulting  from 
the  nature  of  the  blanket  placed  under  the  saddle, 
which  I  sought  to  remedy,  and  I  easily  accomplish- 
ed it.  The  woolen  nap  of  the  cavalry  saddle-blank- 
ets, not  being  carefully  attended  to,  soon  wears  oif, 
and  leaves  only  the  rough,  coarse  threads  of  the 
fabric ;  this  absorbs  the  sweat  from  the  horse,  and, 
after  it  has  dried  and  become  hard,  it  acts  like  a 


SORES   AND   DISEASES.  123 

rasp  upon  the  withers,  first  takmg  off  the  hair,  next 
the  skin,  and  then  the  flesh,  and,  finally,  the  beast 
is  rendered  unserviceable. 

"  I  sought,  during  the  campaign  of  1807,  a  means 
to  remedy  this  evil,  and  I  soon  succeeded  by  a  pro- 
cess as  simple  as  it  was  cheap.  I  distributed  among 
a  great  number  of  cavalry  soldiers  pieces  of  linen 
cloth  folded  double,  two  feet  square,  and  previously 
dipped  in  melted  tallow.  This  cloth  was  laid  next 
to  the  horse's  back,  under  the  saddle-blanket,  and 
it  prevented  all  the  bad  effects  of  the  woolen  blank- 
et. 'No  horses,  after  this  appliance,  were  afflicted 
with  sore  backs.  Such  are  the  slight  changes  which 
I  beheve  should  be  made  in  the  use  of  the  Hunga- 
rian saddle.  The  remainder  of  the  equipment  should 
remain  (as  it  always  has  been)  composed  of  a  breast- 
strap,  crupper,  and  martingale,  etc." 

The  improvements  of  the  present  age  do  not  ap- 
pear to  have  developed  any  thing  advantageous  to 
the  saddle;  on  the  contrary,  after  exi^erimenting 
upon  numerous  modifications  and  inventions,  public 
sentiment  has  at  length  given  the  preference  to  the 
saddle-tree  of  the  natives  in  Asia  and  America, 
which  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Hungarians. 

SORES  AND  DISEASES. 
If  a  horse  be  sweating  at  the  time  he  is  imsad- 
dled,  it  is  well  to  strap  the  folded  saddle-blanket 
upon  his  back  with  the  surcingle,  where  it  is  allow- 
ed to  remain  until  he  is  perfectly  dry.    This  causes 


124  PEAIEIE  TEAVELEK. 

the  back  to  cool  gradually,  and  prevents  scalding  or 
swelling.  Some  persons  are  in  the  habit  of  washing 
their  horses'  backs  while  heated  and  sweatmg  with 
cold  water,  but  this  is  pernicious,  and  often  pro- 
duces sores.  It  is  well  enough  to  wash  the  back 
after  it  cools,  but  not  before.  After  horses'  backs 
or  shoulders  once  become  chafed  and  sore,  it  is  very- 
difficult  to  heal  them,  particularly  when  they  are 
continued  at  work.  It  is  better,  if  practicable,  to 
stop  using  them  for  a  while,  and  wash  the  bruised 
parts  often  with  castile  soap  and  water.  Should  it 
be  necessary,  however,  to  continue  the  animal  in 
use,  I  have  known  very  severe  sores  entirely  healed 
by  the  free  application  of  grease  to  the  parts  imme- 
diately after  halting,  and  while  the  animal  is  warm 
and  sweating.  This  seems  to  harden  the  skin  and 
heal  the  wound  even  when  working  with  the  collar 
in  contact  with  it.  A  piece  of  bacon  rind  tied 
upon  the  collar  over  the  wound  is  also  an  excellent 
remedy. 

In  Texas,  when  the  horse -files  are  numerous, 
they  attack  animals  without  mercy,  and  where  a 
contusion  is  found  in  the  skin  they  deposit  eggs, 
which  speedily  produce  worms  in  great  numbers. 
I  have  tried  the  effisct  of  spirits  of  turpentine  and 
several  other  remedies,  but  nothing  seemed  to  have 
the  desired  efiect  but  calomel  blown  into  the  wound, 
which  destroyed  the  worms  and  soon  eiffected  a 
cure. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  South  Pass,  upon  the  Hum- 


SOKES    AND   DISEASES.  125 

boldt  River,  and  in  some  sections  upon  other  routes 
to  California,  alkaline  water  is  found,  which  is  very 
poisonous  to  animals  that  drink  it,  and  generates  a 
disease  known  in  California  as  "  alkali.^''  This  dis- 
ease first  makes  its  appearance  by  swelhngs  upon 
the  abdomen  and  between  the  fore  legs,  and  is  at- 
tended w^ith  a  cough,  which  ultimately  destroys  the 
lungs  and  kills  the  animal.  If  taken  at  an  early 
stage,  this  disease  is  curable,  and  the  following 
treatment  is  generally  considered  as  the  most  effi- 
cacious. The  animal  is  first  raked,  after  which  a 
large  dose  of  grease  is  j^oured  down  its  throat; 
acids  are  said  to  have  the  same  efiect,  and  give  im- 
mediate relief.  When  neither  of  these  remedies  can 
be  procured,  many  of  the  emigrants  have  been  in 
the  habit  of  mixing  starch  or  flour  in  a  bucket  of 
water,  and  allowing  the  animal  to  drink  it.  It  is 
supposed  that  this  forms  a  coating  over  the  mucous 
membrane,  and  thus  defeats  the  action  of  the  poison. 

Animals  should  never  be  allowed  to  graze  in  the 
vicmity  of  alkaline  water,  as  the  deposits  upon  the 
grass  after  floods  are  equally  deleterious  with  the 
water  itself. 

In  seasons  when  the  water  is  low  in  the  Hum- 
boldt River,  there  is  much  less  danger  of  the  alkali, 
as  the  running  water  in  the  river  then  comes  from 
pure  mountain  springs,  and  is  confined  to  the  chan- 
nel; whereas,  during  high  water,  when  the  banks 
are  overflowed,  the  salts  are  dissolved,  making  the 
water  more  impure. 


126  PEAIEIE   TKAVELEE. 

For  colic^  a  good  remedy  is  a  mixture  of  two 
table-spoonfuls  of  brandy  and  two  tea-spoonfuls  of 
laudanum  dissolved  in  a  bottle  of  water  and  poured 
down  the  animal's  throat.  Another  remedy,  which 
has  been  recommended  to  me  by  an  experienced 
officer  as  producing  speedy  relief,  is  a  table-spoon- 
ful of  chloride  of  lime  dissolved  in  a  bottle  of  water, 
and  administered  as  in  the  other  case. 

RATTLESNAKE  BITES. 

Upon  the  southern  routes  to  California  rattle- 
snakes are  often  met  with,  but  it  is  seldom  that  any 
person  is  bitten  by  them ;  yet  this  is  a  possible  con- 
tingency, and  it  can  never  be  amiss  to  have  an  an- 
tidote at  hand. 

Hartshorn  applied  externally  to  the  wound,  and 
drunk  in  small  quantities  diluted  with  water  wdien- 
ever  the  patient  becomes  faint  or  exhausted  from 
the  effects  of  the  poison,  is  one  of  the  most  common 
remedies. 

In  the  absence  of  all  medicines,  a  string  or  liga- 
ture should  at  once  be  bound  firmly  above  the 
puncture,  then  scarify  deeply  with  a  knife,  suck  out 
the  poison,  and  spit  out  the  saliva. 

Andersson,  in  his  book  on  Southwestern  Africa, 
says :  "  In  the  Cape  Colony  the  Dutch  farmers  re- 
sort to  a  cruel  but  apparently  effective  plan  to  coun- 
teract the  bad  effects  of  a  serpent's  bite.  An  in- 
cision having  been  made  in  the  breast  of  a  living 
fowl,  the  bitten  part  is  applied  to  the  wound.     li' 


EATTLESNAKE   BITES.  127 

the  poison  be  very  deadly,  the  bh'd  soon  evinces 
symptoms  of  distress,  becomes  drowsy,  droops  its 
head,  and  dies.  It  is  replaced  by  a  second,  a  third, 
and  more  if  requisite.  "When,  however,  the  bird 
no  longer  exhibits  any  of  the  signs  just  mentioned, 
the  patient  is  considered  out  of  danger.  A  frog 
similarly  applied  is  supposed  to  be  equally  effica- 
cious." 

Haunberg,  in  his  Travels  in  South  Africa,  men- 
tions an  antidote  against  the  bite  of  serpents.  He 
says :  "  The  blood  of  the  turtle  was  much  cried  up, 
which,  on  account  of  this  extraordinary  virtue,  the 
inhabitants  dry  in  the  form  of  small  scales  or  mem- 
branes, and  carry  about  them  when  they  travel  in 
this  country,  wliich  swarms  with  this  most  noxious 
vermin.  Whenever  any  one  is  wounded  by  a  ser- 
pent, he  takes  a  couple  of  pinches  of  the  dried 
blood  internally,  and  ajDplies  a  little  of  it  to  the 
wound." 

I  was  present  upon  one  occasion  when  an  Indian 
child  was  struck  in  the  fore  finger  by  a  large  rattle- 
snake. His  mother,  who  was  near  at  the  time, 
seized  him  in  her  arms,  and,  placing  the  wounded 
finger  in  her  mouth,  sucked  the  poison  from  the 
puncture  for  some  minutes,  repeatedly  spitting  out 
the  saliva ;  after  which  she  chewed  and  mashed 
some  plantain  leaves  and  apphed  to  the  wound. 
Over  this  she  sprinkled  some  finely-powdered  to- 
bacco, and  wrapped  the  finger  up  in  a  rag.  I  did 
not  observe  that  the  child  sufiered  afterward  the 


128  PEAIRIE  TEAVELEK. 

least  pain  or  inconvenience.  The  immediate  appli- 
cation of  the  remedies  probably  saved  his  Hfe. 

Irritation  from  the  bite  of  gnats  and  musquitoes, 
etc.,  may  be  relieved  by  chewing  the  plantain,  and 
rubbing  the  spittle  on  the  bite. 

I  knew  of  another  instance  near  Fort  Towson,  in 
Northern  Texas,  where  a  small  child  was  left  upon 
the  earthen  floor  of  a  cabin  while  its  mother  was 
washing  at  a  spring  near  by.  She  heard  a  cry  of 
distress,  and,  on  going  to  the  cabin,  what  was  her 
horror  on  seemg  a  rattlesnake  coiled  around  the 
child's  arm,  and  striking  it  repeatedly  with  its  fangs. 
After  killing  the  snake,  she  hurried  to  her  nearest 
neighbor,  procured  a  bottle  of  brandy,  and  returned 
as  soon  as  possible ;  but  the  poison  had  already  so 
operated  upon  the  arm  that  it  was  as  black  as  a 
negro's.  She  poured  down  the  child's  throat  a 
huge  draught  of  the  hquor,  w  hich  soon  took  efiect, 
making  it  very  drunk,  and  stopped  the  action  of  the 
poison.  Although  the  child  was  relieved,  it  remain- 
ed sick  for  a  long  time,  but  ultimately  recovered. 

A  man  was  struck  in  the  leg  by  a  very  large  rat- 
tlesnake near  Fort  Belknap,  Texas,  in  1853.  'No 
other  remedy  being  at  hand,  a  small  piece  of  indigo 
was  pulverized,  made  into  a  poultice  with  water, 
and  applied  to  the  jDuncture.  It  seemed  to  draw 
out  the  poison,  turning  the  indigo  white,  after 
which  it  was  removed  and  another  poultice  applied. 
These  applications  were  re2:)eated  until  the  indigo 
ceased  to  change  its  color.    The  man  was  then  car- 


RATTLESNAKE   BITES.  129 

ried  to  the  hospital  at  Fort  Belknap,  and  soon  re- 
covered, and  the  surgeon  of  the  post  pronounced  it 
a  very  satisfactory  cure. 

A  Chickasaw  woman,  who  was  bitten  upon  the 
foot  near  Fort  Washita  by  a  ground  rattlesnake  (a 
very  venomous  species),  drank  a  bottle  of  whisky 
and  applied  the  indigo  poultice,  and  when  I  saw 
her,  three  days  afterward,  she  was  recovering,  but 
the  flesh  around  the  wound  sloughed  away. 

A  Delaware  remedy,  which  is  said  to  be  effica- 
cious, is  to  burn  powder  upon  the  wound,  but  I 
have  never  known  it  to  be  tried  excepting  upon  a 
horse.  In  this  case  it  was  successful,  or,  at  aU 
events,  the  animal  recovered. 

Of  all  the  remedies  known  to  me,  I  should  de- 
cidedly prefer  ardent  spirits.  It  is  considered  a 
sovereign  antidote  among  our  "Western  frontier  set- 
tlers, and  I  would  make  use.  of  it  -with  great  confi- 
dence. It  must  be  taken  mitil  the  patient  becomes 
very  much  intoxicated,  and  this  requires  a  large 
quantity,  as  the  action  of  the  poison  seems  to  coun- 
teract its  effects. 

Should  the  fangs  of  the  snake  penetrate  deep 
enough  to  reach  an  artery,  it  is  probable  the  person 
would  die  in  a  short  time.  I  imaguie,  however, 
that  this  does  not  often  occur. 

The  following  remedial  measures  for  the  treat- 
ment of  the  bites  of  poisonous  rei3tiles  are  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  PhiUp  Weston  in  the  London  Lan- 
cet for  July,  1859: 

I 


130  PEAIEIE   TEAVELEK. 

1.  The  application  of  a  ligature  round  tlie  limb 
close  to  the  wound,  between  it  and  the  heart,  to 
arrest  the  return  of  venous  blood. 

2.  Excision  of  the  bitten  parts,  or  free  incision 
through  the  wounds  made  by  the  poison-teeth,  sub- 
sequently encouraging  the  bleeding  by  warm  solu- 
tions to  favor  the  escape  of  the  poison  from  the 
circulation. 

3.  Cauterization  widely  round  the  limb  of  the 
bite  with  a  strong  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  one 
drachm  to  the  ounce,  to  prevent  the  mtroduction 
of  the  poison  into  the  system  by  the  lymphatics. 

4.  As  soon  as  indications  of  the  absorption  of  the 
poison  into  the  circulation  begin  to  manifest  them- 
selves, the  internal  administration  of  ammonia  in 
aerated  or  soda-water  every  quarter  of  an  hour,  to 
support  the  nervous  energy  and  allay  the  distress- 
ing thirst. 

"  But,"  he  continues,  "  there  is  yet  wanting  some 
remedy  that  shall  rapidly  counteract  the  poison  in- 
troduced into  the  blood,  and  assist  in  expelling  it 
from  the  system.  The  well-authenticated  accounts 
of  the  success  attending  the  internal  use  of  arsenic 
in  injuries  arising  from  the  bites  of  venomous  rep- 
tiles in  the  East  and  West  Indies,  and  also  in  Africa, 
and  the  well-known  properties  of  this  medicme  as  a 
powerful  tonic  and  alterative  in  conditions  of  im- 
paired vitality  of  the  blood  arising  from  the  absorp- 
tion of  certain  blood-poisons,  would  lead  me  to  in- 
clude this  agent  in  the  treatment  already  mention- 


EATTLESNAKE   BITES.  131 

ed.  It  should  be  administered  in  combination  with 
ammonia,  in  full  doses,  frequently  repeated,  so  as  to 
neutralize  quickly  the  poison  circulating  in  the  blood 
before  it  can  be  eliminated  from  the  system.  This 
could  readily  be  accomplished  by  adding  ten  to  fif- 
teen minims  of  Fowler's  solution  to  the  compound 
spirit  of  ammonia,  to  be  given  every  quarter  of  an 
hour  in  aerated  or  soda-water,  until  the  vomiting 
and  the  more  urgent  symptoms  of  collapse  have 
subsided,  subsequently  repeating  the  dose  at  longer 
intervals  until  reaction  had  become  fully  established, 
and  the  patient  reheved  by  copious  bilious  dejec- 
tions." 

Cedron^  which  is  a  nut  that  grows  on  the  Isth- 
mus of  Panama,  and  which  is  sold  by  the  druggists 
in  New  York,  is  said  to  be  an  infallible  antidote  to 
serpent-bites.  Li  the  Bullet,  de  VAcad.  de  Med.  for 
February,  1858,  it  is  stated  that  a  man  was  bitten 
at  Panama  by  a  coral  snaJce^  the  most  poisonous  spe- 
cies on  the  Isthmus.  During  the  few  seconds  that 
it  took  him  to  take  the  cedron  from  his  bag,  he  was 
seized  with  violent  pains  at  the  heart  and  throat; 
but  he  had  scarcely  chewed  and  swallowed  a  piece 
of  the  nut  about  the  size  of  a  small  bean,  when  the 
pains  ceased  as  by  magic.  He  chewed  a  little 
more,  and  applied  it  externally  to  the  wound,  when 
the  pains  disappeared,  and  were  followed  by  a  co- 
pious evacuation  of  a  substance  like  curdled  milk. 
Many  other  cases  are  mentioned  wliere  the  cedron 
proved  an  antidote. 


132  PKAIEIE   TRAVELEK. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Biyouacs.  —  Tente  d'Abri.  —  Gutta-percha  Knapsack  Tent.  — 
Comanche  Lodge. — Sibley  Tent. — Camp  Fm-niture. — Lit- 
ters.— Eapid  Traveling. — Fuel. — Making  Fires. — Fires  on 
the  Prairies. — Jerking  Meat. — Making  Lariats, — Making 
Caches,  —  Disposition  of  Fire-arms. — Colt's  Eevolvers.  — 
Gun  Accidents. — Trailing. — Indian  Sagacity. 

BIVOUACS  AND  TENTS. 

In  traveling  with  pack  animals  it  is  not  always 
convenient  or  practicable  to  transport  tents,  and  the 
traveler's  ingenuity  is  often  taxed  in  devising  the 
most  available  means  for  making  himself  comforta- 
ble and  secure  against  winds  and  storms.  I  have 
often  been  astonished  to  see  how  soon  an  expe- 
rienced voyager,  without  any  resources  save  those 
provided  by  nature,  will  erect  a  comfortable  shelter 
in  a  place  where  a  person  having  no  knowledge  of 
woodcraft  would  never  think  of  such  a  thing. 

Almost  all  people  in  different  parts  of  the  world 
have  their  own  peculiar  methods  of  bivouacking. 

In  the  severe  climate  of  Thibet,  Dr.  Hooker  in- 
forms us  that  they  encamp  near  large  rocks,  which 
absorb  the  heat  during  the  day,  and  give  it  out 
slowly  during  the  night.  They  form,  as  it  were,- 
reservoirs  of  caloric,  the  influence  of  which  is  ex- 
ceedingly grateful  during  a  cold  night. 


BIVOUACS    AND   TENTS.  133 

In  the  polar  regions  the  Esqnimanx  live  and 
make  themselves  comfortable  in  huts  of  ice  or  snow, 
and  with  no  other  combustible  but  oil. 

The  natives  of  Australia  bury  their  bodies  in  the 
sand,  keeping  their  heads  only  above  the  surface, 
and  thus  sleep  warm  during  the  chilly  nights  of 
that  climate. 

Fortunately  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  travel- 
ers upon  the  Plains,  the  atmosphere  is  pure  and  dry 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  it  is  seldom 
that  any  rain  or  dew  is  seen;  neither  are  there 
marshes  or  ponds  of  stagnant  water  to  generate  pu- 
trid exhalations  and  poisonous  malaria.  The  night 
air  of  the  summer  months  is  soft,  exhilarating,  and 
delightful.  Persons  may  therefore  sleep  in  it  and 
inhale  it  with  perfect  impunity,  and,  indeed,  many 
prefer  this  to  breathing  the  confined  atmosphere  of 
a  house  or  tent. 

During  the  rainy  season  only  is  it  necessary  to 
seek  shelter.  In  traveling  with  covered  wagons 
one  always  has  protection  from  storms,  but  with 
pack  trains  it  becomes  necessary  to  improvise  the 
best  substitutes  for  tents. 

A  very  secure  protection  against  storms  may  be 
constructed  by  planting  firmly  in  the  ground  two 
upright  poles,  with  forks. at  their  tops,  and  crossing 
them  with  a  light  pole  laid  in  the  forks.  A  gutta- 
percha cloth,  or  sheet  of  canvas,  or,  in  the  absence 
of  either  of  these  two,  blankets,  may  be  attached  by 
one  side  to  the  horizontal  pole,  the  opposite  edge 


134  PEAIEIE  TRAVELEE. 

being  stretched  out  to  the  windward  at  an  angle  of 
about  forty-five  degrees  to  the  ground,  and  there 
fastened  with  wooden  pins,  or  with  buckskin  strings 
tied  to  the  lower  border  of  the  cloth  and  to  pegs 


UAJLF-FACED   CAMP. 


driven  firmly  into  the  earth.  This  forms  a  shelter 
for  three  or  four  men,  and  is  a  good  defense  against 
winds  and  rains.  If  a  fire  be  then  made  in  front, 
the  smoke  will  be  carried  away,  so  as  not  to  incom- 
mode the  occupants  of  the  bivouac. 

This  is  called  a  "  half-faced"  camp. 

Another  method  practiced  a  great  deal  among 
mountain  men  and  Indians  consists  in  placing  sev- 
eral rough  poles  equidistant  around  in  a  half  circle, 
and  bringing  the  small  ends  together  at  the  top, 
where  they  are  bound  wijth  a  thong.  This  forms 
the  conical  frame-work  of  the  bivouac,  which,  when 
covered  with  a  cloth  stretched  around  it,  makes  a 
very  good  shelter,  and  is  preferable  to  the  half- 
faced  camp,  because  the  sides  are  covered. 


BIVOUACS    AND   TENTS. 


135 


CONICAL  BIVOUAC. 


When  no  cloths,  blankets,  or  hides  are  at  hand 
to  be  placed  over  the  poles  of  the  lodge,  it  may  be 
covered  with  green  boughs  laid  on  compactly,  so 
as  to  shed  a  good  deal  of  rain,  and  keep  out  the 
wind  in  cold  weather.  We  adopted  this  descrip- 
tion of  shelter  in  crossing  the  Rocky  Moxmtains 
during  the  winter  of  1857-8,  and  thus  formed  a 
very  effectual  protection  against  the  bleak  winds 
which  sweep  with  great  violence  over  those  lofty 
and  inhospitable  sierras.  We  always  selected  a 
dense  thicket  for  our  encampment,  and  covered  the 
lodges  with  a  heavy  coatmg  of  pine  boughs,  wattling 
them  together  as  compactly  as  possible,  and  piling 
snow  upon  the  outside  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
them  quite  impervious  to  the  wmd.  The  fires  were 
then  kindled  at  the  mouths  of  the  lodges,  and  our 


136  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

heads  and  bodies  were  completely  sheltered,  while 
our  feet  were  kept  warm  by  the  fires. 

The  French  troops,  while  serving  in  the  Crimea, 
used  what  they  call  the  te7ite  cVah%  or  shelter  tent, 
which  seems  to  have  been  received  with  great  favor 
in  Europe.  It  is  composed  of  two,  four,  or  six 
square  pieces  of  cloth,  with  buttons  and  button- 
holes adjusted  upon  the  edges,  and  is  pitched  by 
planting  two  upright  stakes  in  the  ground  at  a  dis- 
tance corresponding  with  the  length  of  the  canvas 
when  buttoned  together.  The  tAVO  sticks  are  con- 
nected by  a  cord  passed  around  the  top  of  each, 
drawn  tight,  and  the  ends  made  fast  to  pins  driven 
firmly  into  the  ground.  The  canvas  is  then  laid 
over  the  rope  between  the  sticks,  spread  out  at  an 
angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees,  and  the  loAver 
edges  secured  to  the  earth  with  wooden  pins. 
This  makes  some  defense  against  the  weather,  and 
was  the  only  shelter  enjoyed  by  the  mass  of  the 
French  army  in  the  Crimea  up  to  October,  1855. 
For  a  permanent  camp  it  is  usual  to  excavate  a 
shallow  basement  under  the  tent,  and  to  bank  up 
the  earth  on  the  outside  in  cold  weather.  It  is  de- 
signed that  upon  marches  the  teiite  cPahri  shall  be 
taken  to  pieces  and  carried  by  the  soldiers. 

A  tent,  invented  by  an  officer  of  the  U.  S.  Army, 
has  recently  been  prepared  by  Mr.  John  Rider,  165 
Broadway,  New  York,  which  is  called  the  "  tent 
hnapsackP  It  has  been  examined  by  a  board  of 
army  officers,  and  recommended  for  adoption  in  our 
military  service. 


riVOUACS    AND   TENTS. 


137 


TENT  KNArSACK. 


This  tent  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  tente  Wdbri^ 
and  is  pitched  in  the  same  manner,  but  it  has  this 
advantage,  that  each  separate  piece  may  be  con- 
verted into  a  water-proof  knapsack. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  Report  of  the 
Board  go  to  show  that  this  tent  knapsack  will  be 
useful  to  parties  traveHng  on  the  prairies  with  pack 
trains : 


138  PRAIEIE   TEAVELEE. 

"  It  is  a  piece  of  gutta-percha  5  feet  3  inches  long, 
and  3  feet  8  inches  wide,  with  double  edges  on  one 
side,  and  brass  studs  and  button-holes  along  two 
edges,  and  straps  and  buckles  on  the  fourth  edge ; 
the  whole  weighing  three  pounds ;  two  sticks,  3  feet 
8  inches  long  by  li  inches  in  diameter,  and  a  small 
cord.  When  used  as  a  knapsack,  the  clothing  is 
packed  in  a  cotton  bag,  and  the  gutta-percha  sheet 
is  folded  round  it,  lapping  at  the  ends.  The  cloth- 
ing is  thus  protected  by  two  or  three  thicknesses 
of  gutta-percha,  and  in  this  respect  there  is  a  supe- 
riority over  the  knapsack  now  used  by  our  troops. 
Other  advantages  are,  that  the  tent  knapsack  has 
no  seams,  the  parts  at  which  those  in  use  wear  out 
soonest ;  it  adapts  itself  to  the  size  of  the  contents, 
so  that  a  compact  and  portable  bundle  can  be  made, 
whether  the  kit  be  entire  or  not ;  and,  with  the  cot- 
ton bag,  it  forms  a  convenient,  commodious,  and 
durable  receptacle  for  all  a  soldier's  clothing  and 
necessaries. 

"  On  a  scout  a  soldier  usually  carries  only  a  blank- 
et, overcoat,  and  at  most  a  single  shirt,  pair  of 
drawers,  and  a  pair  of  socks,  all  of  which  can  be 
packed  in  the  tent  knapsack  in  a  small  bundle,  per- 
fectly protected  from  rain,  and  capable  of  being 
suspended  from  the  shoulders  and  carried  with 
comfort  and  ease  during  a  march. 

"  2d.  As  a  shelter.  The  studs  and  eyelets  along 
two  edges  of  the  tent  knapsack  are  for  the  purpose 
of  fastening  a  number  of  them  together,  and  thus 
making  a  sheet  of  larger  dimensions. 

"  A  sheet  formed  by  fastening  together  four  knap- 
sacks was  exhibited  to  the  Board,  stretched  upon  a 
frame  of  wood.  When  used  in  service  the  sheet  is 
to  be  stretched  on  a  rope  supported  by  two  poles, 
or  by  two  rifles,  muskets,  or  carbines,  and  pinned 
down  at  the  sides  with  six  pins,  three  on  each  side. 


',t  M*,,'  I'   ', 


BIVOUACS   AND   TEXTS.  141 

"The  sheet  of  four  knapsacks  is  10  feet  6  inches 
long,  and  1  feet  4  inches  wide,  and  when  pitched 
on  a  rope  4  feet  4  inches  above  the  ground,  covers 
a  horizontal  space  6  feet  6  inches  wide,  and  7  feet 
4  inches  long,  which  will  accommodate  five  men, 
and  may  be  made  to  shelter  seven.  The  sheet  can 
also  be  used  on  the  ground,  and  is  a  great  protection 
from  dampness,  and  as  a  shawl  or  talma ;  indeed,  a 
variety  of  advantageous  uses  to  which  the  gutta- 
percha sheet  may  be  put  will  suggest  themselves 
to  persons  using  it. 

"  The  Board  is  satisfied  with  its  merits  in  all  the 
uses  to  which  it  is  proj^osed  to  be  put,  and  is  of 
opinion  that  the  gutta-percha  tent  knapsack  may  be 
adopted  in  the  military  service  with  advantage." 

The  usual  tenement  of  the  prairie  tribes,  and  of 
the  traders,  trappers,  and  hunters  who  live  among 
them,  is  the  Comanche  lodge,  which  is  made  of 
eight  straight  peeled  poles  about  twenty  feet  long, 
covered  with  hides  or  cloth.  The  lodge  is  pitched 
by  connecting  the  smaller  extremities  of  three  of 
the  poles  with  one  end  of  a  long  line.  The  three 
poles  are  then  raised  perpendicularly,  and  the  larger 
extremities  spread  out  in  a  tripod  to  the  circumfer- 
ence of  the  circle  that  is  to  form  the  base  of  the 
lodge.  The  other  poles  are  then  raised,  laid  into 
the  forks  of  the  three  first,  and  spread  out  equidis- 
tant upon  the  circle,  thus  forming  the  conical  frame- 
work of  the  structure.  Nine  or  ten  poles  are  gen- 
erally used  in  one  lodge. 

The  long  line  attached  to  the  tripod  is  then 
wound  several  times  around  the  top,  where  the 


142  PEAIEIE  TRAVELER. 

poles  intersect,  and  tlie  lower  end  made  fast  at  the 
base  of  the  lodge,  thus  securmg  the  frame  firmly  in 
its  position.  The  covering,  made  of  buffalo  hides, 
dressed  without  the  hair,  and  cut  and  sewed  to- 
gether to  fit  the  conical  frame,  is  raised  with  a  pole, 
spread  out  around  the  structure,  and  united  at  the 
edges  with  sharpened  wooden  pegs,  leaving  sufii- 
cient  space  open  at  the  bottom  for  a  doorway,  which 
may  be  closed  with  a  blanket  spread  out  with  two 
small  sticks,  and  suspended  over  the  opening. 

The  lower  edge  of  the  lodge  is  made  fast  to  the 
ground  with  wooden  pins.  The  apex  is  left  open, 
with  a  triangular  wing  or  flap  on  each  side,  and  the 
windward  flap  constantly  stretched  out  by  means 
of  a  pole  inserted  into  a  pocket  in  the  end  of  it, 
which  causes  it  to  draw  like  a  sail,  and  thus  occa- 
sions a  draught  from  the  fire  built  upon  the  groimd 
in  the  centre  of  the  lodge,  and  makes  it  warm  and 
comfortable  in  the  coldest  winter  weather.  Canvas 
makes  a  very  good  substitute  for  the  buffalo-skin 
covering. 

SIBLEY  TENT. 

A  tent  has  been  invented  by  Major  H.  H.  Sibley, 
of  the  army,  which  is  known  as  the  "  Sibley  tentP 
It  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  Comanche  lodge,  but 
in  place  of  the  conical  frame-work  of  poles  it  has 
but  one  upright  standard,  resting  upon  an  iron  tri- 
pod in  the  centre.  The  tripod  can  be  used  to  sus- 
pend cooking  utensils  over  the  fire,  and,  when  fold- 


SIBLEY  TENT. 


143 


ed  iq:*,  admits  the  wooden  standard  between  the 
legs,  thereby  reducing  the  length  one  half,  and 
making  it  more  convenient  for  packing  and  trav- 
eling. 


TUE    SIBLEY    TE>iT. 


This  tent  constituted  the  entire  shelter  of  the 
army  in  Utah  during  the  wmter  of  1 857-8,  and, 
notwithstanding  the  severity  of  the  climate  in  the 
elevated  locality  of  Camp  Scott,  the  troops  were 
quite  comfortable,  and  pleased  with  the  tent. 

In  permanent  camps  the  Sibley  tent  may  be  so 
pitched  as  to  give  more  room  by  erecting  a  tripod 
upon  the  outside  with  three  poles  high  and  stout 


144  PEAIKIE  TEAYELER. 

enough  to  admit  of  the  tent's  being  suspended  by 
ropes  attached  to  the  apex.  This  method  dispenses 
with  the  necessity  of  the  central  upright  standard. 

When  the  weather  is  very  cold,  the  tent  may  be 
made  warmer  by  excavating  a  basement  about  three 
feet  deep,  which  also  gives  a  wall  to  the  tent,  mak- 
ing it  more  roomy. 

The  tent  used  in  the  army  will  shelter  comforta- 
bly twelve  men. 

Captain  G.  Rhodes,  of  the  English  army,  in  his 
recent  work  uj)on  tents  and  tent-life,  has  given  a 
description  of  most  of  the  tents  used  in  the  diiferent 
armies  in  Europe,  but,  in  my  judgment,  none  of 
them,  in  point  of  convenience,  comfort,  and  econo- 
my, will  compare  with  the  Sibley  tent  for  campaign- 
ing in  cold  weather.  One  of  its  most  important 
features,  that  of  admitting  of  a  fire  within  it  and  of 
causmg  a  draught  by  the  disjoosition  of  the  wings, 
is  not,  that  I  am  aware,  possessed  by  any  other 
tent.  Moreover,  it  is  exempt  from  the  objections 
that  are  urged  against  some  other  tents  on  account 
of  insalubrity  from  want  of  top  ventilation  to  carry 
off  the  impure  air  during  the  night. 

CAMP  rUENITUEE. 

The  accompanying  illustrations  present  some  con- 
venient articles  of  portable  camp  furniture. 

Camp  Chair  No.  1  is  of  oak  or  other  hard  wood. 
Fig.  1  represents  it  opened  for  use ;  in  Fig.  2  it  is 
closcii  for  transportation.     A  is  a   stout  canvas. 


CAMP  CIIAIK.       NO.    1. 


CAMP  CUAJK8.      N08.  2   AND  3, 

K 


TJjJ. 


CAMP   TABLE 


CAMP   FURNITURE.  147 

forming  tlie  back  and  seat;  J,  5,  h  are  iron  butt- 
hinges  ;  c,  c  are  leather  straps,  one  inch  and  a  quar- 
ter wide,  forming  the  arms ;  d  is  an  iron  rod,  with 
nut  and  screw  at  one  end. 

Camp  Chair  No.  2  is  made  of  sticks  tied  togeth- 
er with  thongs  of  buckskin  or  raw  hide. 

Camp  Chair  No.  3  is  a  very  comfortable  seat, 
made  of  a  barrel,  the  part  forming  the  seat  being 
filled  with  grass. 

Camp  Table.  Fig.  1  represents  the  table  folded 
for  transportation ;  m  Fig.  2  it  is  spread  out  for  use. 
A  is  the  top  of  the  table ;  a,  a  are  side  boards,  and 
c,  c  are  end  boards,  turning  on  butt-hinges,  J,  5,  h. 

Field  Cots.  In  No.  1,  A  represents  the  cot  put 
up  for  use;  B^  the  cot  folded  for  transportation. 
The  legs  turn  upon  iron  bolts  nmning  through  the 
head  and  foot  boards ;  they  are  then  placed  upon 
the  canvas,  and  the  whole  is  rolled  up  around  the 
side  pieces.  In  No.  2  the  upper  figure  represents 
the  cot  put  up  for  use ;  the  lower  shoAvs  it  folded 
for  transportation.  JL  is  a  stout  canvas ;  ^,  h  are 
iron  butt-hinges ;  c,  c,  the  legs ;  c?,  c?,  leather  straps, 
with  buckles,  which  hold  the  legs  firm ;  f^  f^  ends, 
which  fold  upon  hinges ;  </,  g^  cross-bars  from  leg  to 
leg.     This  cot  is  strong,  light,  and  portable. 

Camp  Bureau.  This  cut  represents  two  chests, 
A^  A,  with  their  handles,  a,  a;  the  covers  taken 
ofi",  they  are  placed  one  upon  the  other,  and  secured 
by  the  clamps  J3,  B  ;  d  shows  the  division  between 
the  two  chests.     When  it  is  to  be  transported,  the 


X 


FIELD  GOT.      KO.  2. 


i 

1?^^»^«^ 

/ 
! 

^^S 

^r^,^^;^ 

^^^-.•■. 

c 

# 

# 

# 

Ifflii 

# 

J) 

# 

# 

SJa 

-(^ 

Bi 


CAMP  BUREAU. 


MESS-OUEST. 


150  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

knobs,  c,  are  unscrewed  from  the  drawers,  the  look- 
ing-glass, /*,  is  removed,  the  drawers  are  filled  with 
clothing,  etc.,  and  the  lids  are  screwed  on. 

Mess-chest.  A  represents  the  chest  open  for 
table;  ^  is  the  same  closed;  C  is  the  upper  tray 
of  tin,  with  compartments,  b,  b ;  ^  is  the  lower 
wooden  tray,  divided  into  compartments,  a,  a,  for 
various  purposes,  and  made  fast  to  the  bottom  of 
the  chest ;  c?,  d  are  lids  opening  with  hinges ;  f 
(in  figure  B)  is  a  wooden  leg,  turning  upon  a  hinge, 
and  fitting  snugly  between  two  pieces  of  wood 
screwed  upon  the  cover. 

LITTERS. 

Should  a  party  traveling  with  pack  animals,  and 
without  ambulances  or  wagons,  have  one  of  its 
members  wounded  or  taken  so  sick  as  to  be  unable 
to  walk  or  ride  on  horseback,  a  litter  may  be  con- 
structed by  taking  two  poles  about  twenty  feet  in 
length,  uniting  them  by  two  sticks  three  feet  long 
lashed  across  the  centre  at  six  feet  apart,  and 
stretching  a  piece  of  stout  canvas,  a  blanket,  or 
hide  between  them  to  form  the  bed.  Two  steady 
horses  or  mules  are  then  selected,  placed  between 
the  poles  in  the  front  and  rear  of  the  litter,  and  the 
ends  of  the  poles  made  fast  to  the  sides  of  the  ani- 
mals, either  by  attachment  to  the  stirrups  or  to  the 
ends  of  straps  secured  over  their  backs. 

The  patient  may  then  be  placed  upon  the  litter, 
and  is  ready  for  the  march. 


LITTEKS.  153 

Tho  elasticity  of  the  long  poles  gives  an  easy  mo- 
tion to  the  conveyance,  and  makes  this  method  of 
locomotion  much  more  comfortable  than  might  be 
supposed. 

The  prairie  Indians  have  a  way  of  transporting 
their  sick  and  children  upon  a  htter  very  similar  in 
construction  to  the  one  just  described,  excepting 
that  one  animal  is  used  instead  of  two.  One  end 
of  the  litter  is  made  fast  to  the  sides  of  the  animal, 
while  the  other  end  is  left  to  trail  upon  the  ground. 
A  projection  is  raised  for  the  feet  to  rest  against 
and  prevent  the  patient  from  sliding  down.  In- 
stead of  canvas,  the  Indians  sometimes  lash  a  large 
willow  basket  across  the  poles,  in  which  they  place 
the  person  to  be  transported.  The  animals  har- 
nessed to  the  litter  must  be  carefully  conducted 
upon  the  march,  and  caution  used  in  passing  over 
rough  and  broken  ground. 

A  very  convenient  and  comfortable  method  of 
packing  a  sick  or  wounded  man  when  there  are  no 
animals  disposable,  and  which  is  sometimes  resorted 
to  by  the  Indians,  is  to  take  two  small  poles  about 
ten  feet  long,  and  lash  three  cross-pieces  to  them, 
one  in  the  centre,  and  the  other  two  about  eighteen 
inches  from  the  ends.  A  blanket  or  hide  is  then 
secured  firmly  to  this  frame,  and  the  patient  placed 
upon  it  under  the  centre  cross-piece,  which  prevents 
him  from  falling  out.  Two  men  act  as  carriers, 
walkmg  between  the  ends  of  the  long  poles.  The 
patient  may  be  protected  against  the  rain  or  sun  by 


154 


PEAIBIE  TRAVELER. 


BAi^P-UTTEK. 


bending  small  wiUows  over  the  frame,  and  coveiuig 
tliem  with  a  cloth. 


RAPID  TRAVELING. 

Small  parties  with  good  animals,  hght  vehicles, 
and  little  lading,  may  traverse  the  Plains  rapidly 
and  comfortably,  if  the  following  injunctions  be 
observed. 

The  day's  drive  should  commence  as  soon  as  it 


FUEL  AND   riEE.  155 

is  light,  and,  where  the  road  is  good,  the  animals 
kept  upon  a  slow  trot  for  about  three  hours,  then 
immediately  turned  out  upon  the  best  grass  that 
can  be  found  for  two  hours,  thus  giving  time  for 
grazing  and  breakfast.  After  which  another  drive 
of  about  three  hours  may  be  made,  making  the 
noon  halt  about  three  hours,  when  the  animals  are 
again  harnessed,  and  the  journey  continued  until 
night. 

In  passing  through  a  country  infested  by  hostile 
Indians,  the  evening  drive  should  be  j)rolonged 
until  an  hour  or  two  after  dark,  turning  off  at  a 
point  where  the  ground  is  hard,  going  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  road,  and  encamping  without  fires, 
in  low  ground,  where  the  Indians  will  find  it  diffi- 
cult to  track  or  see  the  party. 

These  frequent  halts  serve  to  rest  and  recruit  the 
animals  so  that  they  will,  without  injury,  make 
from  thirty  to  forty  miles  a  day  for  a  long  time. 
Thip  ^^owever,  can  only  be  done  with  very  fight 
If  ^  .md  vehicles,  such,  for  example,  as  an  ambu- 
lance with  four  mules,  only  three  or  four  persons, 
and  a  small  amount  of  luggage. 

FUEL  AND  FIRE. 
There  are  long  distances  upon  some  of  the  routes 
to  California  where  no  other  fuel  is  found  but  the 
dried  dung  of  the  buffalo,  called  by  the  mountain- 
eers "  chips,"  and  by  the  French  "  bois  de  vache," 
the  argul  of  the  Tartary  deserts.    It  burns  weU 


156  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

when  perfectly  dry,  answers  a  good  purpose  for 
cooking,  and  some  men  even  prefer  it  to  wood. 
As  it  will  not  burn  when  wet,  it  is  well,  in  a  coun- 
try where  no  other  fuel  can  be  had,  when  it  threat- 
ens to  rain,  for  the  traveler  to  collect  a  supply 
before  the  rain  sets  in,  and  carry  it  in  wagons  to 
the  camp.     When  dry,  the  chips  are  easily  lighted. 

A  great  saving  in  fuel  may  be  made  by  digging 
a  trench  about  two  feet  long  by  eight  inches  in 
width  and  depth  ;  the  fires  are  made  in  the  bottom 
of  the  trench,  and  the  cooking  utensils  placed  upon 
the  top,  where  they  receive  aU  the  heat.  This  plan 
is  especially  recommended  for  windy  weather,  and 
it  is  convenient  at  aU  times.  The  wood  should  be 
cut  short,  and  split  into  small  pieces. 

It  is  highly  important  that  travelers  should  know 
the  different  methods  that  may  be  resorted  to  for 
kindling  fires  upon  a  march. 

The  most  simple  and  most  expeditious  of  these 
is  by  using  the  lucifer  matches ;  but,  unless  they  are 
kept  in  well-corked  bottles,  they  are  hable  to  be- 
come wet,  and  wiU  then  fail  to  ignite. 

The  most  of  those  found  in  the  shops  easily  im- 
bibe dampness,  and  are  of  but  little  use  in  the 
prairies.  Those  marked  "  Van  Duser,  New  York," 
and  put  up  in  flat  rectangular  boxes,  are  the  best  I 
have  met  with,  and  were  the  only  ones  I  saw  which 
were  not  affected  by  the  humid  climate  of  Mexico. 
Wax  lucifers  are  better  than  wooden,  as  they  are 
impervious  to  moisture. 


FUEL  AND   FIRE.  157 

I  have  seen  an  Indian  start  a  fire  with  flint  and 
steel  after  others  had  failed  to  do  it  with  matches. 
This  was  during  a  heavy  rain,  when  almost  aU  avail- 
able fuel  had  become  wet.  On  such  occasions  dry 
fuel  may  generally  be  obtained  under  logs,  rocks, 
or  leaning  trees. 

The  inner  bark  of  some  dry  trees,  cedar  for  in- 
stance, is  excellent  to  kindle  a  fire.  The  bark  is 
rubbed  in  the  hand  until  the  fibres  are  ma^e  fine 
and  loose,  when  it  takes  fire  easily ;  dry  grass  or 
leaves  are  also  good.  After  a  suflicient  quantity 
of  small  kindhng  fuel  has  been  collected,  a  moist- 
ened rag  is  rubbed  with  powder,  and  a  spark  struck 
into  it  with  a  flint  and  steel,  which  will  ignite  it ; 
this  is  then  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  loose  nest  of 
inflammable  material,  and  whirled  around  in  the  air 
until  it  bursts  out  into  a  flame.  When  it  is  rain- 
ing, the  blaze  should  be  laid  upon  the  dryest  spot 
that  can  be  found,  a  blanket  held  over  it  to  keep 
off  the  water,  and  it  is  fed  with  very  small  bits  of 
dry  wood  and  shavings  until  it  has  gained  sufficient 
strength  to  burn  the  larger  damp  wood.  When 
no  dry  place  can  be  found,  the  fire  nmy  be  started 
in  a  kettle  or  frying-pan,  and  afterward  transferred 
to  the  ground. 

Should  there  be  no  other  means  of  starting  a  fire, 
it  can  always  be  made  with  a  gun  or  pistol,  by 
placing  upon  the  ground  a  rag  saturated  with 
damp  powder,  and  a  httle  dry  powder  sprinkled 
over  it.    The  gun  or  pistol  is  then  (uncharged) 


158  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

placed  with  the  cone  directly  over  and  near  the 
rag,  and  a  cap  exj^loded,  which  will  invariably  ig- 
nite it.  Another  method  is  by  placing  about  one 
fourth  of  a  charge  of  powder  into  a  gun,  pushing  a 
rag  down  loosely  upon  it,  and  firing  it  out  with  the 
muzzle  down  near  the  ground,  which  ignites  the 
rag. 

The  most  difficult  of  all  methods  of  making  a  fire, 
but  one  that  is  practiced  by  some  of  the  Western 
Indians,  is  by  friction  between  two  pieces  of  wood. 
I  had  often  heard  of  this  process,  but  never  gave 
credit  to  its  practicability  until  I  saw  the  experi- 
ment successfully  tried.  It  was  done  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  Two  dried  stalks  of  the  Mexican  soap- 
plant,  about  three  fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter, 
were  selected,  and  one  of  them  made  flat  on  one 
side  ;  near  the  edge  of  this  flat  surface  a  very  small 
indentation  was  made  to  receive  the  end  of  the 
other  stick,  and  a  groove  cut  from  this  down  the 
side.  The  other  stick  is  cut  with  a  rounded  end, 
and  placed  upright  upon  the  first.  One  man  then 
holds  the  horizontal  piece  upon  the  ground,  while 
another  takes  the  vertical  stick  between  the  palms 
of  his  hands,  and  turns  it  back  and  forth  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  at  the  same  time  pressing  forcibly  down 
upon  it.  The  point  of  the  upright  stick  wears  away 
the  indentation  into  a  fine  powder,  which  runs  ofi* 
to  the  ground  in  the  groove  that  has  been  cut ;  after 
a  time  it  begins  to  smoke,  and  by  continued  friction 
it  will  at  length  take  fire. 


FUEL   AND   FIEE.  159 

This  is  an  operation  that  is  difficult,  and  requires 
practice;  but  if  a  drill-stick  is  used  Avith  a  cord 
placed  around  the  centre  of  the  upright  stick,  it  can 
be  turned  much  more  rapidly  than  with  the  hands, 
and  the  fire  j^roduced  more  readily.  The  upright 
stick  may  be  of  any  hard,  dry  wood,  but  the  low- 
er horizontal  stick  must  be  of  a  soft,  inflammable  na- 
ture, such  as  pine,  cottonwood,  or  black  walnut,  and 
it  must  be  perfectly  dry.  The  Indians  work  the 
sticks  with  the  palms  of  the  hands,  holding  the  low- 
er piece  between  the  feet ;  but  it  is  better  to  have 
a  man  to  hold  the  lower  piece  while  another  man 
works  the  drill-bow. 

Inexperienced  travelers  are  very  liable,  in  kindling 
fires  at  their  camp,  to  ignite  the  grass  around  them. 
Great  caution  should  be  taken  to  guard  against  the 
occurrence  of  such  accidents,  as  they  might  prove 
exceedingly  disastrous.  We  were  very  near  hav- 
ing our  entire  train  of  wagons  and  supplies  destroy- 
ed, ujDon  one  occasion,  by  the  carelessness  of  one  of 
our  party  in  setting  fire  to  the  grass,  and  it  was 
only  by  the  most  strenuous  and  well-timed  efibrts 
of  two  hundred  men  in  setting  counter  fires,  and 
burning  around  the  train,  that  it  was  saved.  When 
the  grass  is  dry  it  will  take  fire  like  powder,  and  if 
thick  and  tall,  with  a  brisk  wind,  the  flames  run  like 
a  race-horse,  sweeping  every  thing  before  them.  A 
lighted  match,  or  the  ashes  from  a  segar  or  pipe, 
thrown  carelessly  into  the  dry  grass,  sometimes  sets 
it  on  fire ;  but  the  greatest  danger  lies  in  kindling 
camp-fires. 


160  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

To  prevent  accidents  of  this  kind,  before  kindling 
the  fire  a  space  should  be  cleared  away  sufficient  to 
embrace  the  limits  of  the  flame,  and  all  combusti- 
bles removed  therefrom,  and  while  the  fire  is  being 
made  men  should  be  stationed  around  with  blankets 
ready  to  put  it  out  if  it  takes  the  grass. 

When  a  fire  is  approaching,  and  escape  from  its 
track  is  impossible,  it  may  be  repelled  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  The  train  and  animals  are  parked  com- 
pactly together ;  then  several  men,  provided  with 
blankets,  set  fire  to  the  grass  on  the  lee  side,  burn- 
ing it  away  gradually  from  the  train,  and  extinguish- 
ing it  on  the  side  next  the  train.  This  can  easily 
be  done,  and  the  fire  controlled  mth  the  blankets, 
or  with  dry  sand  thrown  upon  it,  until  an  area  large 
enough  to  give  room  for  the  train  has  been  burned 
clear.  Now  the  train  moves  on  to  this  ground  of 
safety,  and  the  fire  passes  by  harmless. 

JERKING  MEAT. 

So  pure  is  the  atmosphere  in  the  interior  of  our 
continent  that  fresh  meat  may  be  cured,  or  jerked^ 
as  it  is  termed  in  the  language  of  the  prairies,  by 
cutting  it  into  strips  about  an  inch  thick,  and  hang- 
ing it  in  the  sun,  where  in  a  few  days  it  will  dry  so 
well  that  it  may  be  packed  in  sacks,  and  transport- 
ed over  long  journeys  without  putrefying. 

When  there  is  not  time  to  jerk  the  meat  by  the 
slow  process  described,  it  may  be  done  in  a  few 
hours  by  building   an   open  frame-work  of  small 


LARIATS.  161 

Sticks  about  two  feet  above  the  ground,  placing  the 
strips  of  meat  upon  the  top  of  it,  and  keeping  up  a 
slow  fire  beneath,  which  dries  the  meat  rapidly. 

The  jerking  process  may  be  done  upon  the  march 
without  any  loss  of  time  by  stretching  lines  from 
front  to  rear  upon  the  outside  of  loaded  wagons, 
and  suspending  the  meat  upon  them,  where  it  is  al- 
lowed to  remain  until  sufficiently  cured  to  be  pack- 
ed away.  Salt  is  never  used  in  this  process,  and  is 
not  required,  as  the  meat,  if  kept  dry,  rarely  putre- 
fies. 

If  travelers  have  ample  transportation,  it  will  be 
a  wise  precaution,  in  passing  through  the  buffalo 
range,  to  lay  in  a  supply  of  jerked  meat  for  future 
exigences. 

LARIATS. 

It  frequently  happens  upon  long  journeys  that  the 
lariat  ropes  wear  out  or  are  lost,  and  if  there  were 
no  means  of  replacing  them  great  inconvenience 
might  result  therefrom.  A  very  good  substitute 
may  be  made  by  taking  the  green  hide  of  a  buffalo, 
horse,  mule,  or  ox,  stretching  it  upon  the  ground, 
and  pinning  it  do^vn  by  the  edges.  After  it  has 
been  well  stretched,  a  circle  is  described  with  a  piece 
of  charcoal,  embracing  as  much  of  the  skin  as  prac- 
ticable, and  a  strip  about  an  inch  wide  cut  from  the 
outer  edge  of  sufficient  length  to  form  the  lariat. 
The  strip  is  then  wrapped  around  between  two 
trees  or  stakes,  drawn  tight,  and  left  to  dry,  after 
L 


162  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

which  it  is  subjected  to  a  process  of  friction  until  it 
becomes  pHable,  when  it  is  ready  for  use ;  this  lariat 
answers  well  so  long  as  it  is  kept  dry,  but  after  it 
has  been  wet  and  dried  again  it  becomes  very  hard 
and  unyielding.  This,  however,  may  be  obviated 
by  boiling  it  in  oil  or  grease  until  thoroughly  satu- 
rated, after  which  it  remains  pliable. 

The  Indians  make  very  good  lariat  ropes  of  dress- 
ed buffalo  or  buck  skins  cut  into  narrow  strips  and 
braided ;  these,  when  oiled,  slip  much  more  freely 
than  the  hemp  or  cotton  ropes,  and  are  better  for 
lassoing  animals,  but  they  are  not  as  suitable  for 
picketing  as  those  made  of  other  material,  because 
the  wolves  will  eat  them,  and  thus  set  free  the  ani- 
mals to  which  they  are  attached. 

cach:6s. 

It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  travelers  are 
compelled,  for  want  of  transportation,  to  abandon  a 
portion  of  their  luggage,  and  if  it  is  exposed  to  the 
keen  scrutiny  of  the  thieving  savages  who  often 
follow  the  trail  of  a  party,  and  hunt  over  old  camps 
for  such  things  as  may  be  left,  it  will  be  likely  to 
be  appropriated  by  them.  Such  contingencies  have 
given  rise  to  a  method  of  secreting  articles  called 
by  the  old  French  Canadian  voyagers  "  caching P 

The  proper  places  for  making  caches  are  in  loose 
sandy  soils,  where  the  earth  is  dry  and  easUy  ex- 
cavated. Near  the  bank  of  a  river  is  the  most  con- 
venient for  this  purpose,  as  the  earth  taken  out 


CACHES.  1G3 

can  be  thrown  into  the  water,  leaving  no  trace  be- 
hind. 

When  the  spot  has  been  chosen,  the  turf  is  care- 
fully cut  and  laid  aside,  after  which  a  hole  is  dug  in 
the  shape  of  an  egg,  and  of  sufficient  dimensions  to 
contain  the  articles  to  be  secreted,  and  the  earth,  as 
it  is  taken  out,  thrown  upon  a  cloth  or  blanket,  and 
carried  to  a  stream  or  ravine,  where  it  can  be  dis- 
posed of,  being  careful  not  to  scatter  any  upon  the 
ground  near  the  cache.  The  hole  is  then  lined  with 
bushes  or  dry  grass,  the  articles  placed  within,  cov- 
ered with  grass,  the  hole  filled  up  with  earth,  and 
the  sods  carefully  placed  back  in  their  original  posi- 
tion, and  every  thing  that  would  be  likely  to  attract 
an  Indian's  attention  removed  from  the  locahty. 
If  an  India-rubber  or  gutta-percha  cloth  is  disposable, 
it  should  be  used  to  envelop  the  articles  in  the  cache. 

Another  plan  of  making  a  cache  is  to  dig  the  hole 
inside  a  tent,  and  occuj^y  the  tent  for  some  days 
after  the  goods  are  deposited.  This  efiaces  the 
marks  of  excavation. 

The  mountain  traders  were  formerly  in  the  habit 
of  building  fires  over  their  caches,  but  the  Indians 
have  become  so  familiar  with  this  practice  that  I 
should  think  it  no  longer  safe. 

Another  method  of  caching  which  is  sometimes 
resorted  to  is  to  place  the  articles  in  the  top  of  an 
evergreen  tree,  such  as  the  pine,  hemlock,  or  spruce. 
The  thick  boughs  are  so  arranged  around  the  pack- 
ages that  they  can  not  be  seen  from  beneath,  and 


164  PRAIPJE   TRAYELEE. 

they  are  tied  to  a  limb  to  prevent  them  from  be- 
ing blown  out  by  the  wind.  This  will  only  answer 
for  such  articles  as  will  not  become  injured  by  the 
weather. 

Caves  or  holes  in  the  rocks  that  are  protected 
from  the  rains  are  also  secure  deposits  for  caching 
goods,  but  in  every  case  care  must  be  taken  to  ob- 
literate all  tracks  or  other  indications  of  men  having 
been  near  them.  These  caches  will  be  more  secure 
when  made  at  some  distance  from  roads  or  trails, 
and  in  places  where  Indians  would  not  be  likely  to 


To  find  a  cache  again,  the  bearing  and  distance 
from  the  centre  of  it  to  some  prominent  object,  such 
as  a  mound,  rock,  or  tree,  should  be  carefully  de- 
termined and  recorded,  so  that  any  one,  on  return- 
ing to  the  spot,  would  have  no  difficulty  in  ascer- 
taining its  position. 

DISPOSITION  OF  FIRE-ARMS. 

The  mountaineers  and  trappers  exercise  a  very 
wise  precaution,  on  laying  down  for  the  night,  by 
placing  their  arms  and  ammunition  by  their  sides, 
where  they  can  be  seized  at  a  moment's  notice. 
This  rule  is  never  departed  from,  and  they  are 
therefore  seldom  liable  to  be  surprised.  In  Par- 
kyns's  "Abyssinia,"  I  find  the  following  remarks 
upon  this  subject : 

"  When  getting  sleepy,  you  return  your  rifle  be- 
tween your  legs,  roll  over,  and  go  to  sleep.     Some 


DISPOSITION    OF   FIRE-ARMS.  165 

people  may  think  this  is  a  queer  place  for  a  rifle ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  position  of  all  others 
where  utility  and  comfort  are  most  combined.  The 
butt  rests  on  the  arm,  and  serves  as  a  pillow  for 
the  head;  the  muzzle  points  between  the  knees, 
and  the  arms  encircle  the  lock  and  breech,  so  that 
you  have  a  smooth  pillow,  and  are  always  prepared 
to  start  up  armed  at  a  moment's  notice." 

I  have  never  made  the  experiment  of  sleeping  in 
this  way,  but  I  should  imagine  that  a  gun-stock 
would  make  rather  a  hard  pillow. 

Many  of  our  experienced  frontier  ofiicers  prefer 
carrying  their  pistols  in  a  belt  at  their  sides  to 
placing  them  in  holsters  attached  to  the  saddle,  as 
in  the  former  case  they  are  always  at  hand  when 
they  are  dismounted ;  whereas,  by  the  other  plan, 
they  become  useless  when  a  man  is  unhorsed,  unless 
he  has  tune  to  remove  them  from  the  saddle,  which, 
during  the  excitement  of  an  action,  would  seldom 
be  the  case. 

N'ot withstanding  Colt's  army  and  navy  sized  re- 
volvers have  been  m  use  for  a  long  time  in  our 
army,  officers  are  by  no  means  of  one  mind  as  to 
their  relative  merits  for  frontier  service.  The  navy 
pistol,  being  more  light  and  portable,  is  more  con- 
venient for  the  belt,  but  it  is  very  questionable  in 
my  mind  whether  these  qualities  counterbalance 
the  advantages  derived  from  the  greater  weight  of 
powder  and  lead  that  can  be  fired  from  the  larger 
pistol,  and  the  consequent  increased  projectile  force. 


166  PEAIEIE  TRAVELER. 

This  point  is  illustrated  by  an  incident  which 
fell  under  my  own  observation.  '  In  passing  near 
the  "Medicine-Bow  Butte"  during  the  spring  of 
1858, 1  most  unexpectedly  encountered  and  fired  at 
a  full-grown  grizzly  bear ;  but,  as  my  horse  had  be- 
come somewhat  blown  by  a  previous  gallop,  his 
breathing  so  much  disturbed  my  aim  that  I  missed 
the  animal  at  the  short  distance  of  about  fifty  yards, 
and  he  ran  ofi*.  Fearful,  if  I  stoj)ped  to  reload  my 
rifle,  the  bear  would  make  his  escape,  I  resolved  to 
drive  him  back  to  the  advanced  guard  of  our  escort, 
which  I  could  see  approaching  in  the  distance ;  this 
I  succeeded  in  doing,  when  several  mounted  men, 
armed  with  the  navy  revolvers,  set  off  in  joursuit. 
They  approached  within  a  few  joaces,  and  discharged 
ten  or  twelve  shots,  the  most  of  which  entered  the 
animal,  but  he  still  kept  on,  and  his  j)rogress  did 
not  seem  materially  imj)eded  by  the  womids.  Aft- 
er these  men  had  exhausted  their  charges,  another 
man  rode  up  armed  with  the  army  revolver,  and 
fired  two  shots,  Avhich  brought  the  stalwart  beast 
to  the  ground.  Upon  skinning  him  and  making  an 
examination  of  the  wounds,  it  was  discovered  that 
none  of  the  balls  from  the  small  pistols  had,  after 
passing  through  his  thick  and  tough  hide,  pene- 
trated deeper  than  about  an  inch  into  the  flesh,  but 
that  the  two  balls  from  the  large  pistol  had  gone 
into  the  vitals  and  killed  him.  This  test  was  to 
my  mind  a  decisive  one  as  to  the  relative  efiiciency 
of  the  two  arms  for  frontier  service,  and  I  resolved 
thenceforth  to  carry  the  larger  size. 


DISPOSITION    OF   FIRE-ARMS.  169 

Several  different  methods  are  practiced  in  sling- 
ing and  carrying  fire-arms  upon  horseback.  The 
shoulder-strap,  with  a  swivel  to  hook  into  a  ring 
behind  the  guard,  with  the  muzzle  resting  down- 
ward in  a  leather  cup  attached  by  a  strap  to  the 
same  staj^le  as  the  stirrup-leather,  is  a  very  handy 
method  for  cavalry  soldiers  to  sling  their  carbines ; 
but,  the  gun  being  reversed,  the  joltmg  caused  by 
the  motion  of  the  horse  tends  to  move  the  charge 
and  shake  the  powder  out  of  the  cone,  which  ren- 
ders it  Hable  to  burst  the  gun  and  to  miss  fire. 

An  invention  of  the  ISTamaquas,  in  Africa,  de- 
scribed by  Galton  in  his  Art  of  Travel,  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  Sew  a  bag  of  canvas,  leather,  or  hide,  of  such 
bigness  as  to  admit  the  butt  of  the  gun  pretty  free- 
ly. The  straps  that  support  it  buckle  through  a 
ring  in  the  pommel,  and  the  thongs  by  which  its 
slope  is  adjusted  fasten  round  the  girth  below.  The 
exact  adjustments  may  not  be  hit  uj)on  by  an  un- 
practiced  person  for  some  little  time,  but,  when  they 
are  once  ascertained,  the  straps  need  never  be  shift- 
ed. The  gun  is  perfectly  safe,  and  never  comes  be- 
low the  arm-pit,  even  in  taking  a  drop  leap ;  it  is 
pulled  out  in  an  instant  by  bringing  the  elbow  in 
front  of  the  gun  and  close  to  the  side,  so  as  to  throw 
the  gun  to  the  outside  of  the  arm ;  then,  lowering 
the  hand,  the  gun  is  caught  up.  It  is  a  bungling 
way  to  take  out  the  gun  while  its  barrel  lies  between 
the  arm  and  the  body.     Any  sized  gun  can  be  car- 


170  PEAIKIE  TEAVELEE. 

ried  in  this  fashion.  It  offers  no  obstacle  to  mount- 
ing or  dismounting." 

This  may  be  a  convenient  way  of  carrying  the 
gun ;  I  have  never  tried  it.  Of  all  methods  I  have 
used,  I  prefer,  for  hunting,  a  piece  of  leather  about 
twelve  inches  by  four,  with  a  hole  cut  in  each  end ; 
one  of  the  ends  is  placed  over  the  pommel  of  the 
saddle,  and  with  a  buckskin  string  made  fast  to  it, 
where  it  remains  a  permanent  fixture.  When  the 
rider  is  mounted,  he  places  his  gun  across  the  strap 
upon  the  saddle,  and  carries  the  loose  end  forward 
over  the  pommel,  the  gun  resting  horizontally  across 
his  legs.  It  will  now  only  be  necessary  occasional- 
ly to  steady  the  gun  with  the  hand.  After  a  little 
practice  the  rider  will  be  able  to  control  it  with  his 
knees,  and  it  will  be  found  a  very  easy  and  conven- 
ient method  of  carrying  it.  When  required  for 
use,  it  is  taken  out  in  an  instant  by  sunply  raising 
it  with  the  hand,  when  the  loose  end  of  the  strap 
comes  off  the  pommel. 

The  chief  causes  of  accidents  from  the  use  of 
fire-arms  arise  from  carelessness,  and  I  have  always 
observed  that  those  persons  who  are  most  famihar 
with  their  use  are  invariably  the  most  careful. 
Many  accidents  have  happened  from  carrymg  guns 
with  the  cock  down  ujDon  the  cap.  When  in  this 
position,  a  blow  uj)on  the  cock,  and  sometimes  the 
concussion  produced  by  the  falling  of  the  gun,  will 
explode  the  cap ;  and,  occasionally,  when  the  cock 
catches  a  twig,  or  in  the  clothes,  and  lifts  it  from  the 


DISPOSITION   OP  FIEE-AEMS.  171 

cap,  it  will  explode.  With  a  gim  at  half-cock  there 
is  but  little  danger  of  such  accidents ;  for,  when  the 
cock  is  drawn  back,  it  either  comes  to  the  full-cock, 
and  remains,  or  it  returns  to  the  half-cock,  but  does 
not  go  down  upon  the  cone.  Another  source  of 
very  many  sad  and  fatal  accidents  resultmg  from 
the  most  stupid  and  culpable  carelessness  is  in  per- 
sons standing  before  the  muzzles  of  guns  and  at- 
tempting to  pull  them  out  of  wagons,  or  to  draw 
them  through  a  fence  or  brush  in  the  same  position. 
If  the  cock  encounters  an  obstacle  in  its  passage,  it 
will,  of  course,  be  drawn  back  and  fall  upon  the  cap. 
These  accidents  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  the 
cause  is  well  understood  by  all,  yet  men  continue  to 
disregard  it,  and  their  lives  pay  the  penalty  of  their 
indiscretion.  It  is  a  wise  maxim,  which  applies 
with  especial  force  in  campaigning  on  the  prairies, 
"  Alicays  look  to  your  gun^  hut  never  let  your  gun 
looJc  at  youP 

An  equally  important  maxim  might  be  added  to 
this :  Never  to  point  your  gun  at  a7iother^  whether 
charged  or  uncharged^  and  never  allow  another  to 
point  his  gun  at  you.  Young  men,  before  they 
become  accustomed  to  the  use  of  arms,  are  very  apt 
to  be  careless,  and  a  large  percentage  of  gun  acci- 
dents may  be  traced  to  this  cause.  That  finished 
sportsman  and  wonderful  shot,  my  friend  Captain 
Martin  Scott,  than  whom  a  more  gallant  soldier 
never  fought  a  battle,  was  the  most  careful  man 
with  fii'e-arms  I  ever  knew,  and  up  to  the  time  he 


172  PKAIRIE   TKAVELEE. 

received  his  death- wound  upon  the  bloody  field  of 
Molino  del  Rey  he  never  ceased  his  cautionary  ad- 
vice to  young  officers  upon  this  subject.  His  ex- 
tended experience  and  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  use  of  arms  had  fully  impressed  him  with  its 
importance,  and  no  man  ever  lived  whose  opinions 
upon  this  subject  should  carry  greater  weight.  As 
incomprehensible  as  it  may  appear  to  persons  ac- 
customed to  the  use  of  fire-arms,  recruits  are  very 
prone,  before  they  have  been  drilled  at  target  prac- 
tice with  ball  cartridges,  to  place  the  ball  below  the 
powder  in  the  piece.  Officers  conducting  detach- 
ments through  the  Indian  country  should  therefore 
give  their  special  attention  to  this,  and  require  the 
recruits  to  tear  the  cartridge  and  pour  all  the  pow- 
der into  the  piece  before  the  ball  is  inserted. 

As  accidents  often  occur  in  camp  from  the  acci- 
dental discharge  of  fire-arms  that  have  been  capped, 
I  would  recommend  that  the  arms  be  continually 
kept  loaded  in  campaigning,  but  the  caps  not  placed 
upon  the  cones  until  they  are  required  for  firing. 
This  will  cause  but  little  delay  in  an  action,  and  will 
conduce  much  to  security  from  accidents. 

When  loaded  fire-arms  have  been  exposed  for  any 
considerable  time  to  a  moist  atmosphere,  they  should 
be  discharged,  or  the  cartridges  drawn,  and  the 
arms  thoroughly  cleaned,  dried,  and  oiled.  Too 
much  attention  can  not  be  given  in  keeping  arms 
in  perfect  firing  order. 


TRAILING.  173 

TRAILING. 

I  know  of  nothing  in  the  woodman's  education 
of  so  much  importance,  or  so  difficult  to  acquire,  as 
the  art  of  trailing  or  tracking  men  and  animals. 
To  become  an  adept  in  this  art  requires  the  con- 
stant practice  of  years,  and  with  some  men  a  life- 
time does  not  suffice  to  learn  it. 

Almost  all  the  Indians  whom  I  have  met  with 
are  proficient  in  this  species  of  knowledge,  the  fac- 
ulty for  acquiring  which  appears  to  be  innate  with 
them.  Exigencies  of  woodland  and  prairie-life  stim- 
ulate the  savage  from  childhood  to  develop  facul- 
ties so  important  in  the  arts  of  war  and  of  the  chase. 

I  have  seen  very  few  white  men  Avho  were  good 
trailers,  and  practice  did  not  seem  very  materially 
to  improve  their  faculties  in  this  regard  ;  they  have 
not  the  same  acute  perceptions  for  these  things  as 
the  Indian  or  the  Mexican.  It  is  not  apprehended 
that  this  difficult  branch  of  woodcraft  can  be  taught 
from  books,  as  it  pertains  almost  exclusively  to  the 
school  of  practice,  yet  I  will  give  some  facts  relat- 
ing to  the  habits  of  the  Indians  that  will  facihtate 
its  acquirement. 

A  party  of  Indians,  for  example,  starting  out  upon 
a  war  excursion,  leave  their  families  behind,  and 
never  transport  their  lodges;  whereas, when  they 
move  with  their  families,  they  carry  their  lodges  and 
other  effects.  If,  therefore,  an  Indian  trail  is  dis- 
covered with  the  marks  of  the  lodge-poles  upon  it. 


174  PEAIEIE  TKAVELER. 

it  has  certainly  not  been  made  by  a  war-party ;  but 
if  the  track  do  not  show  the  trace  of  lodge-poles,  it 
will  be  equally  certain  that  a  war  or  huntmg  party 
has  passed  that  way,  and  if  it  is  not  desired  to  come 
in  conflict  with  them,  their  direction  may  be  avoid- 
ed. Mustangs  or  wild  horses,  when  moving  from 
place  to  place,  leave  a  trail  which  is  sometimes  diffi- 
cult to  distinguish  from  that  made  by  a  mounted 
party  of  Indians,  especially  if  the  mustangs  do  not 
stop  to  graze.  This  may  be  determined  by  follow- 
ing upon  the  trail  until  some  dung  is  found,  and  if 
this  should  lie  in  a  single  pile,  it  is  a  sure  indication 
that  a  herd  of  mustangs  has  passed,  as  they  always 
stop  to  relieve  themselves,  while  a  party  of  Indians 
would  keep  their  horses  in  motion,  and  the  ordure 
would  be  scattered  along  the  road.  If  the  trail 
pass  through  woodland,  the  mustangs  will  occasion- 
ally go  under  the  limbs  of  trees  too  low  to  admit 
the  passage  of  a  man  on  horseback. 

An  Indian,  on  commg  to  a  trail,  will  generally  tell 
at  a  glance  its  age,  by  what  particular  tribe  it  was 
made,  the  number  of  the  party,  and  many  other 
things  connected  with  it  astounding  to  the  unin- 
itiated. 

I  remember,  upon  one  occasion,  as  I  was  riding 
with  a  Delaware  upon  the  prairies,  we  crossed  the 
trail  of  a  large  party  of  Indians  traveling  with 
lodges.  The  tracks  appeared  to  me  quite  fresh,  and 
I  remarked  to  the  Indian  that  we  must  be  near  the 
party.     "  Oh  no,"  said  he,  "  the  trail  was  made  two 


TRAILING.  1 75 

days  before,  in  the  morning,"  at  the  same  time  point- 
ing with  his  finger  to  where  the  sun  would  be  at 
about  8  o'clock.  Then,  seeing  that  my  curiosity  was 
excited  to  know  by  what  means  he  arrived  at  this 
conclusion,  he  called  my  attention  to  the  fact  that 
there  had  been  no  dew  for  the  last  two  nights,  but 
that  on  the  previous  morning  it  had  been  heavy. 
He  then  pointed  out  to  me  some  spears  of  grass 
that  had  been  pressed  down  into  the  earth  by  the 
horses'  hoofs,  upon  which  the  sand  still  adhered, 
having  dried  on,  thus  clearly  showing  that  the  grass 
was  wet  when  the  tracks  were  made. 

At  another  time,  as  I  was  traveling  with  the  same 
Indian,  I  discovered  upon  the  ground  what  I  took 
to  be  a  bear-track,  with  a  distinctly-marked  impres- 
sion of  the  heel  and  all  the  toes.  I  immediately 
called  the  Indian's  attention  to  it,  at  the  same 
time  flattering  myself  that  I  had  made  quite  an  im- 
portant discovery,  which  had  escaped  his  observa- 
tion. The  fellow  remarked  with  a  smile,  "  Oh  no, 
captain,  may  be  so  he  not  bear-track."  He  then 
pointed  with  his  gun-rod  to  some  spears  of  grass 
that  grew  near  the  impression,  but  I  did  not  com- 
prehend the  mystery  until  he  dismounted  and  ex- 
plained to  me  that,  when  the  wind  was  blowing,  the 
spears  of  grass  would  be  bent  over  toward  the 
ground,  and  the  oscillating  motion  thereby  produced 
would  scoop  out  the  loose  sand  into  the  shape  I 
have  described.  The  truth  of  this  explanation  was 
apparent,  yet  it  occurred  to  me  that  its  solution 
would  have  baffled  the  wits  of  most  white  men. 


176  PEAIEIE   TEAVELER. 

Fresh  tracks  generally  show  moisture  where  the 
earth  has  been  turned  up,  but  after  a  short  exposure 
to  the  sun  they  become  dry.  If  the  tracks  be  very 
recent,  the  sand  may  sometimes,  where  it  is  very 
loose  and  dry,  be  seen  running  back  into  the  tracks, 
and  by  following  them  to  a  place  where  they  cross 
water,  the  earth  will  be  wet  for  some  distance  after 
they  leave  it.  The  droppings  of  the  dung  from 
animals  are  also  good  indications  of  the  age  of  a 
trail.  It  is  well  to  remember  whether  there  have 
been  any  rains  within  a  few  days,  as  the  age  of  a 
trail  may  sometimes  be  conjectured  in  this  way.  It 
is  very  easy  to  tell  whether  tracks  have  been  made 
before  or  after  a  rain,  as  the  water  washes  off  all 
the  sharp  edges. 

It  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  distinguish  the 
tracks  of  American  horses  from  those  of  Indian 
horses,  as  the  latter  are  never  shod;  moreover, 
they  are  much  smaller. 

In  trailing  horses,  there  will  be  no  trouble  while 
the  ground  is  soft,  as  the  impressions  they  leave 
will  then  be  deep  and  distinct ;  but  when  they 
pass  over  hard  or  rocky  ground,  it  is  sometimes  a 
very  slow  and  troublesome  process  to  foUow  them. 
Where  there  is  grass,  the  trace  can  be  seen  for  a 
considerable  time,  as  the  grass  will  be  trodden  down 
and  bent  in  the  direction  the  party  has  moved; 
should  the  grass  have  returned  to  its  upright  posi- 
tion, the  trail  can  often  be  distinguished  by  stand- 
ing upon  it  and  looking  ahead  for  some  distance  in 


TRAILING.  iVY 

the  direction  it  has  been  pursuing;  the  grass  that 
has  been  turned  over  will  show  a  different  shade 
of  green  from  that  around  it,  and  this  often  marks 
a  trail  for  a  long  time. 

Should  all  traces  of  the  track  be  obliterated  in 
certain  localities,  it  is  customary  with  the  Indians 
to  follow  on  in  the  direction  it  has  been  pursuing 
for  a  time,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that  in  some 
place  where  the  ground  is  more  favorable  it  will 
show  itself  again.  Should  the  trail  not  be  recov- 
ered in  this  way,  they  search  for  a  place  where  *he 
earth  is  soft,  and  make  a  careful  exammation,  em- 
bracing the  entire  area  where  it  is  likely  to  run. 

Indians  who  find  themselves  pursued  and  wish 
to  escape,  scatter  as  much  as  possible,  with  an  un- 
derstanding that  they  are  to  meet  again  at  some 
point  in  advance,  so  that,  if  the  pursuing  party  fol- 
lows any  one  of  the  tracks,  it  will  invariably  lead 
to  the  place  of  rendezvous.  If,  for  example,  the 
trail  pomts  in  the  direction  of  a  mountain  pass,  or 
toward  any  other  place  which  affords  the  only  pas- 
sage through  a  particular  section  of  country,  it 
would  not  be  worth  while  to  spend  much  time  in 
hunting  it,  as  it  would  probably  be  regamed  at  the 
pass. 

As  it  is  important  in  trailing  Indians  to  know  at 
what  gaits  they  are  traveling,  and  as  the  appear- 
ance of  the  tracks  of  horses  are  not  familiar  to  all, 
I  have  in  the  following  cut  represented  the  prhits 
made  by  the  hoofs  at  the  ordinary  speed  of  the 
M 


178 


PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 


HOBSE-TEACKS  AT   ORDINARY  SPEED. 


TEAILING.  1V9 

walk,  trot,  and  gallop,  so  that  persons,  in  following 
the  trail  of  Indians,  may  form  an  idea  as  to  the 
probability  of  overtakmg  them,  and  regulate  then- 
movements  accordingly. 

In  traversing  a  district  of  unknown  country  where 
there  are  no  prominent  landmarks,  and  with  the 
view  of  returnmg  to  the  point  of  departure,  a  pocket 
compass  should  always  be  carried,  and  attached  by 
a  string  to  a  button-hole  of  the  coat,  to  prevent  its 
being  lost  or  mislaid ;  and  on  starting  out,  as  well 
as  frequently  during  the  trip,  to  take  the  bearing, 
and  examine  the  appearance  of  the  country  when 
facing  toward  the  starting-point,  as  a  landscape 
presents  a  very  different  aspect  when  viewing  it 
from  opposite  directions.  There  are  few  white  men 
who  can  retrace  their  steps  for  any  great  distance 
unless  they  take  the  above  precautions  in  passing 
over  an  unknown  country  for  the  first  time ;  but 
with  the  Indians  it  is  different ;  the  sense  of  locality 
seems  to  be  innate  with  them,  and  they  do  not  re- 
quire the  aid  of  the  magnetic  needle  to  guide  them. 

Upon  a  certain  occasion,  when  I  had  made  a  long 
march  over  an  unexplored  section,  and  was  return- 
ing upon  an  entirely  different  route  without  either 
road  or  trail,  a  Delaware,  by  the  name  of  "  Black 
Beaver,"  who  was  in  my  party,  on  arriving  at  a 
particular  point,  suddenly  halted,  and,  turning  to 
me,  asked  if  I  recognized  the  country  before  us. 
Seeing  no  familiar  objects,  I  rephed  in  the  negative. 
He  put  the  same  question  to  the  other  white  men 


180  PEAIEIE  TRAVELEE. 

of  the  party,  all  of  whom  gave  the  same  answers, 
whereupon  he  smiled,  and  in  his  quaint  vernacular 
said,  "Injun  he  don't  know  nothing.  Injun  big 
fool.  White  man  mighty  smart ;  he  know  heap." 
At  the  same  time  he  pointed  to  a  tree  about  two 
hundred  yards  from  where  we  were  then  standing, 
and  informed  us  that  our  outward  trail  ran  directly 
by  the  side  of  it,  which  proved  to  be  true. 

Another  time,  as  I  was  returning  from  the  Co- 
manche country  over  a  route  many  miles  distant 
from  the  one  I  had  traveled  in  going  out,  one  of 
my  Delaware  hunters,  who  had  never  visited  the  sec- 
tion before,  on  arriving  upon  the  crest  of  an  eminence 
in  the  prairie,  pointed  out  to  me  a  clump  of  trees  in 
the  distance,  remarkmg  that  our  outward  track 
would  be  found  there.  I  was  not,  however,  dis- 
posed to  credit  his  statement  until  we  reached  the 
locality  and  found  the  road  passing  the  identical 
spot  he  had  indicated. 

This  same  Indian  would  start  from  any  place  to 
which  he  had  gone  by  a  sinuous  route,  through  an 
unknown  country,  and  keep  a  direct  bearing  back 
to  the  place  of  departure ;  and  he  assured  me  that 
he  has  never,  even  during  the  most  cloudy  or  foggy 
weather,  or  in  the  darkest  nights,  lost  the  points  of 
compass.  There  are  very  few  white  men  who  are 
endowed  with  these  wonderful  faculties,  and  those 
few  are  only  rendered  proficient  by  matured  expe- 
rience. 

I  have  known  several  men,  after  they  had  become 


TRAILING.  181 

lost  in  the  prairies,  to  wander  about  for  days  with- 
out exercising  the  least  judgment,  and  finally  ex- 
hibiting a  state  of  mental  aberration  almost  upon 
the  verge  of  lunacy.  Instead  of  reasoning  upon 
their  situation,  they  exhaust  themselves  rimning 
a-head  at  their  utmost  speed  without  any  regard  to 
direction.  When  a  person  is  satisfied  that  he  has 
lost  his  way,  he  should  stop  and  reflect  upon  the 
course  he  has  been  traveling,  the  time  that  has 
elapsed  since  he  left  his  camp,  and  the  probable  dis- 
tance that  he  is  from  it ;  and  if  he  is  unable  to  re- 
trace his  steps,  he  should  keep  as  nearly  in  the  di- 
rection of  them  as  possible ;  and  if  he  has  a  compass, 
this  will  be  an  easy  matter ;  but,  above  all,  lie  should 
guard  against  following  his  own  track  around  in  a 
circle  with  the  idea  that  he  is  in  a  beaten  trace. 

When  he  is  traveling  with  a  train  of  wagons 
which  leaves  a  plain  trail,  he  can  make  the  distance 
he  has  traveled  from  camp  the  radius  of  a  circle  iq 
which  to  ride  around,  and  before  the  circle  is  de, 
scribed  he  will  strike  the  trail.  K  the  person  ha^ 
no  compass,  it  is  always  well  to  make  an  observa- 
tion, and  to  remember  the  direction  of  the  wind  at 
the  time  of  departure  from  camp ;  and  as  this  would 
not  generally  change  during  the  day,  it  would  aflTord 
a  means  of  keeping  the  points  of  the  compass. 

In  the  night  Ursa  Major  (the  Great  Bear)  is  not 
only  useful  to  find  the  north  star,  but  its  position, 
when  the  pointers  will  be  vertical  in  the  heavens, 
may  be  estimated  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  determ- 


182  PKAIKIE  TEAVELEE. 

ine  the  north  even  when  the  north  star  can  not  be 
seen.  In  tropical  latitudes,  the  zodiacal  stars,  such 
as  Orion  and  Antares,  give  the  east  and  west  bear- 
ing, and  the  Southern  Cross  the  north  and  south 
when  Polaris  and  the  Great  Bear  can  not  be  seen. 

It  is  said  that  the  moss  upon  the  firs  and  other 
trees  in  Europe  gives  a  certain  indication  of  the 
points  of  compass  in  a  forest  country,  the  greatest 
amount  accumulating  upon  the  north  side  of  the 
trees.  But  I  have  often  observed  the  trees  in  our 
own  forests,  and  have  not  been  able  to  form  any 
positive  conclusions  in  this  way. 


DELA WARES   AND   SHAWNEES.  183 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Guides  and  Hunters. — Delawares  and  Shawnees. — Khebirs. — 
Black  Beaver. — Anecdotes. — Domestic  Troubles. — Lodges. 
— Similarity  of  Prairie  Tribes  to  the  Arabs. — ^Method  of 
making  War. — Tracking  and  pursuing  Indians. — Method 
of  attacking  them. — Telegraphing  by  Smokes. 

DELAWAEES  AND  SHAWNEES. 

It  is  highly  important  that  parties  making  expe- 
ditions through  an  miexplored  country  should  se- 
cure the  services  of  the  best  guides  and  hunters, 
and  I  know  of  none  who  are  superior  to  the  Dela- 
wares and  Shawnee  Indians.  They  have  been  with 
me  upon  several  different  occasions,  and  I  have  in- 
variably found  them  intelligent,  brave,  rehable,  and 
in  every  respect  well  quaUfied  to  fill  their  positions. 
They  are  endowed  with  those  keen  and  wonderful 
powers  in  woodcraft  which  can  only  be  acquired 
by  instinct,  practice,  and  necessity,  and  which  are 
possessed  by  no  other  people  that  I  have  heard  of, 
unless  it  be  the  khebirs  or  guides  who  escort  the 
caravans  across  the  great  desert  of  Sahara. 

General  E.  Dumas,  in  his  treatise  upon  the  "  Great 
Desert,"  pubhshed  in  Paris,  1856,  in  speaking  of 
these  guides,  says : 

"  The  khebir  is  always  a  man  of  intelligence,  of 
tried  probit}',  bravery,  and  skill.     He  kiiow.s  huvv 


184  PEAIEIE   TEAVELEK. 

to  determine  his  position  from  the  apj^earance  of 
the  stars ;  by  the  experience  of  other  journeys  he 
has  learned  all  about  the  roads,  wells,  and  pastures ; 
the  dangers  of  certain  passes,  and  the  means  of 
avoiding  them ;  all  the  chiefs  whose  territories  it  is 
necessary  to  pass  through  ;  the  salubrity  of  the 
difierent  localities ;  the  remedies  against  diseases ; 
the  treatment  of  fractures,  and  the  antidotes  to  the 
venom  of  snakes  and  scorpions. 

"  In  these  vast  solitudes,  where  nothing  seems  to 
indicate  the  route,  where  the  wind  covers  up  all 
traces  of  the  track  with  sand,  the  khebir  has  a 
thousand  ways  of  directing  himself  in  the  ri^ht 
course.  In  the  night,  when  there  are  no  stars  in 
sight,  by  the  simple  inspection  of  a  handful  of  grass, 
which  he  examines  with  his  fingers,  which  he  smells 
and  tastes,  he  informs  himself  of  his  locale  without 
ever  being  lost  or  wandering. 

''  I  saw  with  astonishment  that  our  conductor, 
although  he  had  but  one  eye,  and  that  defective, 
recognized  perfectly  the  route  ;  and  Leon,  the  Afri- 
can, states  that  the  conductor  of  his  caravan  became 
blind  upon  the  journey  from  ophthalmia,  yet  by 
feeling  the  grass  and  sand  he  could  tell  when  we 
were  approaching  an  inhabited  place. 

"  Our  guide  had  all  the  qualities  which  make  a 
good  khebir.  He  was  young,  large,  and  strong; 
he  was  a  master  of  arms ;  his  eye  commanded  re- 
spect, and  his  speech  won  the  heart.  But  if  in  the 
tent  he  was  affable  and  winning,  once  en  route  he 
spoke  only  when  it  was  necessary,  and  never 
smiled." 

The  Delawares  are  but  a  minute  remnant  of  the 
great  Algonquin  family,  whose  early  traditions  de- 
clare them  to  be  the  parent  stock  from  which  the 


DELA WARES   AND   SHAWNEES.  185 

other  numerous  branches  of  the  Algonquin  tribes 
originated.  And  they  are  the  same  people  whom 
the  first  white  settlers  found  so  numerous  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Delaware. 

When  Wilham  Penn  held  his  council  with  the 
Delawares  upon  the  ground  where  the  city  of  Phil- 
adelphia now  stands,  they  were  as  peaceful  and  un- 
warlike  in  their  habits  as  the  Quakers  themselves. 
They  had  been  subjugated  by  the  Five  Nations, 
forced  to  take  the  appellation  of  squaws,  and  forego 
the  use  of  arms ;  but  after  they  moved  west,  beyond 
the  influence  of  their  former  masters,  their  naturally 
independent  spirit  revived,  they  soon  regained  their 
lofty  position  as  braves  and  warriors,  and  the  male 
squaws  of  the  Iroquois  soon  became  formidable  men 
and  heroes,  and  so  have  continued  to  the  present 
day.  Their  war-path  has  reached  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean  on  the  west,  Hudson's  Bay  on  the 
north,  and  into  the  very  heart  of  Mexico  on  the 
south. 

They  are  not  clannish  in  their  dispositions  like 
most  other  Indians,  nor  by  their  habits  confined  to 
any  given  locality,  but  are  found  as  traders,  trap- 
pers, or  hunters  among  most  of  the  Indian  tribes 
inhabiting  our  continent.  I  even  saw  them  living 
with  the  Mormons  in  Utah.  They  are  among  the 
Indians  as  the  Jews  among  the  whites,  essentially 
wanderers. 

The  Shawnees  have  been  associated  with  the  Del- 
awares  185  years.     They  intermarry  and  live  as  one 


186  PEAIEIE  TKAVELEE. 

people.  Their  present  places  of  abode  are  upon  the 
Missouri  River,  near  Fort  Leavenworth,  and  in  the 
Choctaw  Territory,  upon  the  Canadian  River,  near 
Fort  Arbuckle.  They  are  familiar  with  many  of 
the  habits  and  customs  of  their  pale-faced  neigh- 
bors, and  some  of  them  speak  the  English  language, 
yet  many  of  their  native  characteristics  tenaciously 
cling  to  them. 

Upon  one  occasion  I  endeavored  to  teach  a  Del- 
aware the  use  of  the  comj^ass.  He  seemed  much  in- 
terested in  its  mechanism,  and  very  attentively  ob- 
served the  oscillations  of  the  needle.  He  would  move 
away  a  short  distance,  then  return,  keeping  his  eyes 
continually  fixed  upon  the  needle  and  the  miiform 
position  into  Avhich  it  settled.  He  did  not,  how- 
ever, seem  to  comprehend  it  in  the  least,  but  re- 
garded the  entire  proceeding  as  a  species  of  necro- 
mantic performance  got  up  for  his  especial  benefit, 
and  I  was  about  putting  away  the  instrument  when 
he  motioned  me  to  stop,  and  came  walking  toward 
it  with  a  very  serious  but  incredulous  countenance, 
remarking,  as  he  pointed  his  finger  toward  it,  "  May- 
be so  he  tell  he  sometime." 

The  ignorance  evinced  by  this  Indian  regarding 
the  uses  of  the  compass  is  less  remarkable  than  that 
of  some  white  men  who  are  occasionally  met  upon 
the  frontier. 

While  surveying  Indian  lands  in  the  wilds  of 
Western  Texas  during  the  summer  ot  1854,1  en- 
countered a  deputy  surveyor  traveling  on  foot,  with 


DELAWAEES  AND  SHAWNEES.        187 

his  compass  and  cliaiii  upon  his  back.  I  saluted  him 
very  politely,  remarking  that  I  presufned  he  was  a 
surveyor,  to  which  he  replied,  "  I  reckon,  stranger, 
I  ar  that  thar  individoal." 

I  had  taken  the  magnetic  variation  several  times, 
always  with  nearly  the  same  results  (about  10°  20^)  ; 
but,  in  order  to  verify  my  observations,  I  was  curi- 
ous to  learn  how  they  accorded  with  his  own  work- 
ing, and  accordingly  inquired  of  hun  what  he  made 
the  variation  of  the  compass  in  that  particular  local- 
ity. He  seemed  struck  with  astonishment,  took  his 
compass  from  his  back  and  laid  it  upon  a  log  near 
by,  then  facing  me,  and  pointing  with  his  hand  to- 
ward it,  said, 

"  Straanger,  do  yer  see  that  thar  m^ivvi-ment  .^" 
to  which  I  rephed  in  the  affirmative.    He  continued, 

"  I've  o^vned  her  well-nigh  goin  on  twenty  year. 
I've  put  her  through  the  perarries  and  through  the 
timber,  and  now  look  yeer,  straanger,  you  can  just 
bet  your  life  on't  she  never  var-rie^  arry  time,  and 
if  you'll  just  follow  her  sign  you'll  knock  the  centre 
outer  the  north  star.     She  never  lies,  she  don't." 

He  seemed  to  consider  my  interrogatory  as  a  di- 
rect insinuation  that  his  compass  was  an  imperfect 
one,  and  hence  his  indignation.  Thinking  that  I 
should  not  get  any  very  important  intelligence  con- 
cerning the  variation  of  the  needle  from  this  sur- 
veyor, I  begged  his  pardon  for  questioning  the  ac- 
curacy of  his  instru-we?i^,  bid  him  good-mornmg, 
and  continued  on  ray  journey. 


188  PRAIKIE   TBAV-ELEK. 

BLACK  BEAVER. 

In  1849  I  met  with  a  very  interesting  specimen 
of  the  Delaware  tribe  whose  name  was  Black  Bea- 
ver. He  had  for  ten  years  been  in  the  employ  of 
the  American  Fm-  Company,  and  during  this  time 
had  visited  nearly  every  point  of  interest  within  the 
limits  of  our  unsettled  territory.  He  had  set  his 
traps  and  spread  his  blanket  upon  the  head  waters 
of  the  Missouri  and  Columbia ;  and  his  wanderings 
had  led  him  south  to  the  Colorado  and  Gila,  and 
thence  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  in  Southern  Cal- 
ifornia. His  life  had  been  that  of  a  veritable  cos- 
mopolite, filled  with  scenes  of  intense  and  start- 
ling interest,  bold  and  reckless  adventure.  He  was 
with  me  two  seasons  in  the  capacity  of  guide,  and 
I  always  found  him  perfectly  reliable,  brave,  and 
competent.  His  reputation  as  a  resolute,  determ- 
ined, and  fearless  warrior  did  not  admit  of  question, 
yet  I  have  never  seen  a  man  who  wore  his  laurels 
with  less  vanity. 

When  I  first  made  his  acquaintance  I  was  puzzled 
to  know  what  to  think  of  him.  He  would  often,  in 
speaking  of  the  Prairie  Lidians,  say  to  me, 

"  Captain,  if  you  have  a  fight,  you  mustn't  count 
much  on  me,  for  I'ze  a  big  coward.  When  the 
fight  begins  I  'spect  you'll  see  me  run  under  the 
cannon ;  Injun  mighty  'fraid  of  big  gun." 

I  expressed  my  surprise  that  he  should,  if  what 
he  told  me  was  true,  have  gained  such  a  reputation 


BLACK   BEAVER.  189 

as  a  warrior ;  whereupon  lie  iiiformecl  me  that  many 
years  previous,  when  he  was  a  young  man,  and  be- 
fore he  had  ever  been  in  battle,  he,  with  about  twen- 
ty white  men  and  four  Delawares,  were  at  one  of  the 
Fur  Company's  trading-posts  upon  the  Upper  Mis- 
souri, engaged  in  trapping  beaver.  While  there, 
the  stockade  fort  was  attacked  by  a  numerous  band 
of  Blackfeet  Indians,  who  fought  bravely,  and  seem- 
ed determined  to  annihilate  the  little  band  that  de- 
fended it. 

After  the  investment  had  been  completed,  and 
there  appeared  no  probability  of  the  attacking 
party's  abandoning  their  purpose,  "  One  d — d  fool 
Delaware"  (as  Black  Beaver  expressed  it)  proposed 
to  his  countrymen  to  make  a  sortie,  and  thereby 
endeavor  to  effect  an  impression  upon  the  Black- 
feet.  This,  Beaver  said,  was  the  last  thing  he 
would  ever  have  thought  of  suggesting,  and  it 
startled  him  prodigiously,  causing  him  to  tremble 
so  much  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he  could 
stand. 

He  had,  however,  started  from  home  with  the 
fixed  purpose  of  becoming  a  distmguished  brave, 
and  made  a  great  effort  to  stifle  his  emotion.  He 
assumed  an  air  of  determination,  saying  that  was 
the  very  idea  he  was  just  about  to  propose ;  and, 
slapping  his  comrades  upon  the  back,  started  to- 
ward the  gate,  telling  them  to  follow.  As  soon  as 
the  gate  was  passed,  he  says,  he  took  particular 
care  to  keep  in  the  rear  of  the  others,  so  that,  in 


190  PRAIEIE   TEAVELEK. 

the  event  of  a  retreat,  he  would  be  able  to  reach 
the  stockade  first. 

They  had  not  proceeded  far  before  a  perfect 
shower  of  arrows  came  fallmg  around  them  on  all 
sides,  but,  fortunately,  without  doing  them  harm. 
Not  fancying  this  hot  reception,  those  in  front  pro- 
posed an  immediate  retreat,  to  which  he  most  glad- 
ly acceded,  and  at  once  set  off  at  his  utmost  speed, 
expecting  to  reach  the  fort  first.  But  he  soon  dis- 
covered that  his  comrades  were  more  fleet,  and 
were  rapidly  passing  and  leaving  him  behind.  Sud- 
denly he  stopped  and  called  out  to  them,  "  Come 
back  here,  you  cowards,  you  squaws ;  what  for  you 
run  away  and  leave  brave  man  to  fight  alone?" 
This  taunting  appeal  to  their  courage  turned  them 
back,  and,  with  their  united  efforts,  they  succeeded 
in  beating  off  the  enemy  immediately  around  them, 
securing  their  entrance  into  the  fort. 

Beaver  says  when  the  gate  was  closed  the  cap- 
tain in  charge  of  the  establishment  grasped  him 
warmly  by  the  hand,  saying,  "  Black  Beaver,  you 
are  a  brave  man ;  you  have  done  this  day  what  no 
other  man  in  the  fort  would  have  the  courage  to  do, 
and  I  thank  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart." 

In  relating  the  circumstance  to  me  he  laughed 
most  heartily,  thinking  it  a  very  good  joke,  and 
said  after  that  he  was  regarded  as  a  brave  war- 
rior. 

The  truth  is,  my  friend  Beaver  was  one  of  those 
few  heroes  who  never  sounded  his  own  trumpet; 


BLACK   BEAVEE.  191 

yet  no  one  that  knows  him  ever  presumed  to  ques- 
tion his  courage. 

At  another  time,  while  Black  Beaver  remained 
upon  the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri,  he  was  left 
in  charge  of  a  "  cache'''  consisting  of  a  quantity  of 
goods  buried  to  prevent  their  being  stolen  by  the 
Indians.  Duruig  the  time  he  was  engaged  upon 
this  duty  he  amused  himself  by  hunting  in  the  vi- 
cinity, only  visiting  his  charge  once  a  day.  As  he 
was  making  one  of  these  periodical  visits,  and  had 
arrived  upon  the  summit  of  a  hiU  overlooking  the 
locality,  he  suddenly  discovered  a  large  number  of 
hostile  Blackfeet  occupying  it,  and  he  supposed  they 
had  appropriated  aU  the  goods.  As  soon  as  they 
espied  hhn,  they  beckoned  for  him  to  come  down 
and  have  a  friendly  chat  with  them. 

Knowing  that  their  purpose  was  to  beguile  him 
into  their  power,  he  replied  that  he  did  not  feel  in 
a  talking  humor  just  at  that  time,  and  started  off 
in  another  direction,  whereupon  they  haUooed  after 
him,  making  use  of  the  most  insulting  language  and 
gestures,  and  asking  him  if  he  considered  himself  a 
man  thus  to  run  away  from  his  friends,  and  inti- 
mating that,  in  their  opinion,  he  was  an  old  woman, 
who  had  "better  go  home  and  take  care  of  the  chil- 
dren. 

Beaver  says  this  roused  his  indignation  to  such  a 
pitch  that  he  stopped,  turned  around,  and  rephed, 
"  Maybe  so ;  s'pose  three  or  four  of  you  Injuns 
come  up  here  alone,  I'll  show  you  if  I'ze  old  wom- 


192  PRAIRIE    TRAVELER. 

ans."  They  did  not,  however,  accept  the  challenge, 
and  Beaver  rode  off. 

Although  the  Delawares  generally  seem  quite 
happy  in  their  social  relations,  yet  they  are  not  al- 
together exempt  from  some  of  those  minor  discords 
which  occasionally  creep  m  and  mar  the  domestic 
harmony  of  their  more  civiUzed  pale-faced  brethren. 

I  remember,  upon  one  occasion,  I  had  bivouacked 
for  the  night  with  Black  Beaver,  and  he  had  been 
endeavoring  to  while  away  the  long  hours  of  the 
evening  by  relating  to  me  some  of  the  most  thrill- 
ing incidents  of  his  highly-adventurous  and  erratic 
life,  when  at  length  a  hiatus  in  the  conversation 
gave  me  an  op^jortunity  of  asking  him  if  he  was  a 
married  man.  He  hesitated  for  some  time ;  then 
looking  up  and  giving  his  forefinger  a  twirl,  to  imi- 
tate the  throwing  of  a  lasso,  replied,  "One  time 
me  catch  'mn  wife.  I  Y>n.j  that  woman,  his  modeler^ 
one  hoss — one  saddle — one  bridle — two  plug  tobac- 
co, and  plenty  goods.  I  take  him  home  to  my 
house — got  plenty  meat — plenty  corn — plenty  every 
thing.  One  time  me  go  take  walk,  maybe  so  three, 
maybe  so  two  hours.  When  I  come  home,  that 
woman  he  say,  'Black  Beaver,  what  for  you  go 
way  long  time  ?'  I  say,  '  I  not  go  nowhere ;  I  just 
take  one  littel  walk.'  Then  that  woman  he  get 
heap  mad,  and  say,  'No,  Black  Beaver,  you  not 
take  no  littel  walk.  I  know  what  for  you  go  way ; 
you  go  see  nodder  one  woman.''  I  say,  '  Maybe  not.' 
Then  that  woman  she  cry  long  time,  and  all  e'time 


BLACK    BEAVER.  193 

now  slie  macl.  You  never  seen  'Merican  woman 
that  a-way  ?" 

I  sympathized  most  deeply  with  my  friend  in  his 
distress,  and  told  him  for  his  consolation  that,  in 
my  opinion,  the  women  of  his  nation  were  not  pe- 
culiar in  this  respect ;  that  they  were  pretty  much 
alike  all  over  the  world,  and  I  was  under  the  im- 
pression that  there  were  well-authenticated  instances 
even  among  white  women  where  they  had  subjected 
themselves  to  the  same  causes  of  complaint  so  feel- 
ingly depicted  by  him.  Whereupon  he  very  earn- 
estly asked,  "  What  you  do  for  cure  him  ?  Whip 
him  ?"  I  replied,  "  No  ;  that,  so  far  as  my  observa- 
tion extended,  I  was  under  the  impression  that  this 
Avas  generally  regarded  by  those  who  had  suffered 
from  its  effects  as  one  of  those  chronic  and  vexa- 
tious complaints  which  would  not  be  benefited  by 
the  treatment  he  suggested,  even  when  adminis- 
tered in  homoeopathic  doses,  and  I  believed  it  was 
now  admitted  by  all  sensible  men  that  it  was  better 
in  all  such  cases  to  let  nature  take  its  course,  trust- 
ing to  a  merciful  Providence." 

At  this  reply  his  countenance  assumed  a  dejected 
expression,  but  at  length  he  brightened  up  again 
and  triumj^hantly  remarked,  "  I  tell  you,  my  friend, 
what  I  do ;  I  ketch  'um  nodder  one  wife  when  I 
go  home." 

Black  Beaver  had  visited  St.  Louis  and  the  small 
towns  upon  the  Missouri  frontier,  and  he  prided 
himself  not  a  little  upon  his  acquaintance  with  the 
N 


194  PEAIEIE  TRAYELEE. 

customs  of  the  whites,  and  never  seemed  more  hap- 
py than  when  an  opportunity  offered  to  display  this 
knowledge  in  presence  of  his  Indian  companions. 
It  so  happened,  upon  one  occasion,  that  I  had  a 
Comanche  guide  who  bivouacked  at  the  same  fire 
with  Beaver.  On  visiting  them  one  evening  ac- 
cording to  my  usual  practice,  I  found  them  engaged 
in  a  very  earnest  and  api^arently  not  very  amicable 
conversation.  On  inquiring  the  cause  of  this,  Bea- 
ver answered, 

"I've  been  telling  this  Comanche  what  I  seen 
'mong  the  white  folks." 

I  said,  "  Well,  Beaver,  what  did  you  tell  him  ?" 

"I  tell  him  'bout  the  steam-boats,  and  the  rail- 
roads, and  the  heap  o'  houses  I  seen  in  St.  Louis." 

'*  Well,  sir,  what  does  he  thmk  of  that  ?" 

"Hesay  I'ze  d— d  fool." 

"  What  else  did  you  tell  him  about  ?" 

"  I  tell  him  the  world  is  round,  but  he  keep  all 
e'time  say.  Hush,  you  fool !  do  you  spose  I'ze  child  ? 
Haven't  I  got  eyes  ?  Can't  I  see  the  prairie  ?  You 
call  him  round  ?  He  say,  too,  maybe  so  I  tell  you 
something  you  not  know  before.  One  time  my 
grandfather  he  make  long  journey  that  way  (point- 
mg  to  the  west).  When  he  get  on  big  mountain, 
he  seen  heap  water  on  t'other  side,  jest  so  flat  he 
can  be,  and  he  seen  the  sun  go  right  straight  down 
on  t'other  side.  I  then  tell  him  all  these  rivers  he 
seen,  all  e'time  the  water  he  rmi ;  s'pose  the  world 
flat  the  water  he  stand  still.  Maybe  so  he  not 
b'heve  me  ?" 


BLACK   BEAVER.  195 

I  told  him  it  certainly  looked  very  much  like  it. 
I  then  asked  him  to  explain  to  the  Comanche  the 
magnetic  telegraph.  He  looked  at  me  earnestly, 
and  said, 

"  What  you  call  that  magnetic  telegraph  ?" 

I  said,  "  you  have  heard  of  New  York  and  IsTew 
Orleans  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,"  he  replied. 

"  Very  well ;  we  have  a  wire  connecting  these 
two  cities,  which  are  about  a  thousand  miles  apart, 
and  it  would  take  a  man  thirty  days  to  ride  it  upon 
a  good  horse.  Now  a  man  stands  at  one  end  of  this 
wire  in  New  York,  and  by  touching  it  a  few  times 
he  inquires  of  his  friend  in  New  Orleans  what  he 
had  for  breakfast.  His  friend  in  New  Orleans 
touches  the  other  end  of  the  wire,  and  in  ten  min- 
utes the  answer  comes  back — ham  and  eggs.  Tell 
him  that,  Beaver." 

His  countenance  assumed  a  most  comical  expres- 
sion, but  he  made  no  remark  until  I  again  requested 
him  to  repeat  what  I  had  said  to  the  Comanche, 
when  he  observed, 

"  No,  captain,  I  not  tell  hun  that,  for  I  don't 
b'lieve  that  myself." 

Upon  my  assurmg  him  that  such  was  the  fact, 
and  that  I  had  seen  it  myself,  he  said, 

"  Injun  not  very  smart ;  sometimes  he's  big  fool, 
but  he  holler  pretty  loud ;  you  hear  him  maybe  half 
a  mile;  you  say  'Merican  man  he  talk  thousand 
miles.  I  'spect  you  try  to  fool  me  now,  captam; 
mayhe  so  yoic  lieP 


196  PKAIEIE   TKAVELEK. 

The  Indians  living  between  the  outer  white  set- 
tlements and  the  nomadic  tribes  of  the  Plains  form 
intermediate  social  links  in  the  chain  of  civilization. 

The  first  of  these  occupy  permanent  habitations, 
but  the  others,  although  they  cultivate  the  soil,  are 
only  resident  while  their  crops  are  growmg,  going 
out  into  the  prairies  after  harvest  to  spend  the  win- 
ter in  hunting.  Among  the  former  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Cherokees,  Creeks,  Choctaws,  and  Chick- 
asaws,  and  of  the  latter  are  the  Dela wares,  Shaw- 
nees,  Kickapoos,  etc.,  who  are  perfectly  familiar 
with  the  use  of  the  rifle,  and,  in  my  judgment, 
would  make  as  formidable  partisan  warriors  as  can 
be  found  m  the  universe. 

THE  WILD  TRIBES  OF  THE  WEST. 

These  are  very  diflerent  in  their  habits  from  the 
natives  that  formerly  occupied  the  country  border- 
ing upon  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  latter  lived  per- 
manently in  villages,  where  they  cultivated  the  soil, 
and  never  wandered  very  far  from  them.  They 
did  not  use  horses,  but  always  made  their  war  ex- 
peditions on  foot,  and  never  came  into  action  unless 
they  could  screen  themselves  behind  the  cover  of 
trees.  They  inflicted  the  most  inhuman  tortures 
upon  their  prisoners,  but  did  not,  that  I  am  aware, 
violate  the  chastity  of  women. 

The  prairie  tribes  have  no  permanent  abiding 
places  ;  they  never  plant  a  seed,  but  roam  for  hund- 
reds of  miles  in  every  direction  over  the  Plains. 


THE   WILD   TEIBES    OP   THE   WEST.  197 

They  are  perfect  horsemen,  and  seldom  go  to  war 
on  foot.  Their  attacks  are  made  m  the  open  prai- 
ries, and  when  unhorsed  they  are  powerless.  They 
do  not,  like  the  eastern  Indians,  inflict  ujoon  their 
prisoners  prolonged  tortures,  but  invariably  subject 
all  females  that  have  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  their 
merciless  clutches  to  an  ordeal  worse  than  death. 

It  is  highly  important  to  every  man  passmg 
through  a  country  frequented  by  Indians  to  know 
some  of  their  habits,  customs,  and  propensities,  as 
this  will  facilitate  his  intercourse  with  friendly 
tribes,  and  enable  him,  when  he  wishes  to  avoid  a 
conflict,  to  take  precautions  against  coming  in  col- 
lison  with  those  who  are  hostile. 

Almost  every  tribe  has  its  own  way  of  construct- 
ing its  lodges,  encamping,  making  fires,  its  own 
style  of  dress,  by  some  of  which  peculiarities  the 
experienced  frontiersman  can  generally  distinguish 
them. 

The  Osages,  for  example,  make  their  lodges  in 
the  shape  of  a  wagon-top,  of  bent  rods  or  willows 
covered  with  skins,  blankets,  or  the  bark  of  trees. 

The  Kickapoo  lodges  are  made  in  an  oval  form, 
something  like  a  rounded  hay-stack,  of  poles  set  in 
the  ground,  bent  over,  and  united  at  top ;  this  is 
covered  with  cloths  or  bark. 

The  Witchetaws,  Wacos,  Towackanies,  and  Ton- 
kowas  erect  their  hunting  lodges  of  sticks  put  up  in 
the  form  of  the  frustum  of  a  cone  and  covered  with 
brush. 


198  PEAIEIE  TEAVELEE. 

All  these  tribes  leave  the  frame-work  of  then* 
lodges  standing  when  they  move  from  camj)  to 
camj),  and  this,  of  com'se,  indicates  the  j^articiilar 
tribe  that  erected  them. 

The  Delawares  and  Shawnees  plant  two  upright 
forked  poles,  place  a  stick  across  them,  and  stretch 
a  canvas  covermg  over  it,  in  the  same  manner  as 
with  the  "  tente  cVahrV 

The  Sioux,  Arapahoes,  Cheyennes,  Utes,  Snakes, 
Blackfeet,  and  Kioways  make  use  of  the  Comanche 
lodge,  covered  with  dressed  buiFalo  hides. 

All  the  Prairie  Indians  I  have  met  with  are  the 
most  inveterate  beggars.  They  will  flock  around 
strangers,  and,  in  the  most  importunate  manner, 
ask  for  every  thing  they  see,  especially  tobacco  and 
sugar ;  and,  if  allowed,  they  will  handle,  examine, 
and  occasionally  pilfer  such  things  as  happen  to  take 
their  fancy.  The  j^roper  way  to  treat  them  is  to 
give  them  at  once  such  articles  as  are  to  be  disposed 
of,  and  then,  in  a  firm  and  decided  manner,  let  them 
understand  that  they  are  to  receive  nothmg  else. 

A  party  of  Keechis  once  visited  my  camp  w^ith 
their  principal  chief,  who  said  he  had  some  import- 
ant business  to  discuss,  and  demanded  a  council 
with  the  capitmi.  After  consent  had  been  given, 
he  assembled  his  principal  men,  and,  going  through 
the  usual  preliminary  of  taldng  a  hig  sniolie^  he 
arose,  and  with  a  great  deal  of  ceremony  com- 
menced his  pompous  and  flowery  speech,  which, 
like  all  others  of  a  similar  character,  amounted  to 


THE   WILD   TEIBES    OP   THE    WEST.  199 

nothing,  nntil  he  touched  upon  the  real  object  of 
his  visit.  He  said  he  had  traveled  a  long  distance 
over  the  prairies  to  see  and  have  a  talk  with  his 
white  brothers ;  that  his  people  were  very  hungry 
and  naked.  He  then  approached  me  with  six  small 
sticks,  and,  after  shaking  hands,  laid  one  of  the 
sticks  in  my  hand,  which  he  said  represented  sugar, 
another  signified  tobacco,  and  the  other  four,  pork, 
flour,  whisky,  and  blankets,  all  of  which  he  assured 
me  his  people  were  in  great  need  of,  and  must  have. 
His  talk  was  then  concluded,  and  he  sat  down,  ap- 
parently much  gratified  with  the  graceful  and  im- 
pressive manner  with  which  he  had  executed  his 
part  of  the  performance. 

It  then  devolved  upon  me  to  respond  to  the  bril- 
liant effort  of  the  prairie  orator,  which  I  did  in  some- 
thing like  the  following  manner.  After  imitating 
his  style  for  a  short  time,  I  closed  my  remarks  by 
telling  him  that  we  were  j^oor  infantry  soldiers,  who 
were  always  obliged  to  go  on  foot ;  that  we  had  be- 
come very  tired  of  walking,  and  would  like  very 
much  to  ride.  Furthermore,  I  had  observed  that 
they  had  among  them  many  fine  horses  and  mules. 
I  then  took  two  small  sticks,  and  imitating  as  near- 
ly as  possible  the  manner  of  the  chief,  placed  one 
in  his  hand,  which  I  told  him  was  nothing  more  or 
less  than  a  first-rate  horse,  and  then  the  other,  which 
signified  a  good  large  mule.  I  closed  by  saying 
that  I  was  ready  to  exchange  presents  whenever  it 
suited  his  convenience. 


200  PEAIRIE    TRAVELEE. 

They  looked  at  each  other  for  some  time  without 
speaking,  but  finally  got  up  and  walked  away,  and 
I  was  not  troubled  with  them  again. 

INDIAN  FIGHTING. 

The  military  system,  as  taught  and  practiced  in 
our  army  up  to  the  time  of  the  Mexican  war,  was, 
without  doubt,  efficient  and  well  adapted  to  the  art 
of  war  among  civiHzed  nations.  This  system  was 
designed  for  the  operations  of  armies  acting  in 
populated  districts,  furnishing  ample  resources,  and 
against  an  enemy  who  was  tangible,  and  made  use 
of  a  similar  system. 

The  vast  expanse  of  desert  territory  that  has  been 
annexed  to  our  domain  within  the  last  few  years  is 
peopled  by  numerous  tribes  of  marauding  and  er- 
ratic savages,  who  are  mounted  upon  fleet  and  hardy 
horses,  making  w^ar  the  business  and  pastime  of 
their  hves,  and  acknowledging  none  of  the  amelio- 
rating conventionaHties  of  civilized  warfare.  Their 
tactics  are  such  as  to  render  the  old  system  almost 
wholly  impotent. 

To  act  against  an  enemy  w^ho  is  here  to-day  and 
there  to-morrow ;  w^ho  at  one  time  stampedes  a  herd 
of  mules  upon  the  head  Avaters  of  the  Arkansas,  and 
when  next  heard  from  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
populated  districts  of  Mexico,  laying  waste  hacien- 
das, and  carrying  devastation,  rapine,  and  murder  in 
his  steps ;  who  is  every  where  without  being  any 
where ;  who  assembles  at  the  moment  of  combat, 


INDIAN   FIGHTING.  201 

find  vanishes  whenever  fortune  turns  agahist  hmi ; 
who  leaves  his  women  and  children  far  distant  from 
the  theatre  of  hostilities,  and  has  neither  towns  or 
magazines  to  defend,  nor  lines  of  retreat  to  cover ; 
who  derives  his  commissariat  from  the  country  he 
operates  in,  and  is  not  encumbered  with  baggage- 
wagons  or  pack-trains ;  who  comes  into  action  only 
when  it  suits  his  purposes,  and  never  without  the 
advantage  of  numbers  or  position — with  such  an 
enemy  the  strategic  science  of  civilized  nations  loses 
much  of  its  importance,  and  finds  but  rarely,  and 
only  in  peculiar  localities,  an  opportunity  to  be  j^ut 
in  practice. 

Our  little  army,  scattered  as  it  has  been  over  the 
vast  area  of  our  possessions,  in  small  garrisons  of 
one  or  two  companies  each,  has  seldom  been  in  a 
situation  to  act  successfully  on  the  ofiensive  against 
large  numbers  of  these  marauders,  and  has  often 
been  condemned  to  hold  itself  almost  exclusively 
upon  the  defensive.  The  morale  of  the  troo23S  must 
thereby  necessarily  be  seriously  impaired,  and  the 
confidence  of  the  savages  correspondingly  augment- 
ed. The  system  of  small  garrisons  has  a  tendency 
to  disorganize  the  troops  in  proportion  as  they  are 
scattered,  and  renders  them  correspondingly  inefii- 
cient.  The  same  results  have  been  observed  by  the 
French  army  in  Algeria,  where,  in  1845,  their  troops 
were,  like  ours,  disseminated  over  a  vast  space,  and 
broken  up  into  small  detachments  stationed  in  nu- 
merous intrenched  posts.     Upon  the  sudden  appear- 


202  PEAIEIE   TEAVELEK. 

ance  of  Abd  el  Kader  in  the  plain  of  Mitidja,  they 
were  defeated  with  serious  losses,  and  were  from 
day  to  day  obliged  to  abandon  these  useless  star 
tions,  with  aU  the  suppHes  they  contained.  A  French 
writer,  in  discussing  this  subject,  says : 

"We  have  now  abandoned  the  fatal  idea  of  de- 
fending Algeria  by  small  intrenched  posts.  In 
studying  the  character  of  the  war,  the  nature  of 
the  men  who  are  to  oppose  us,  and  of  the  country 
in  which  we  are  to  operate,  we  must  be  convinced 
of  the  danger  of  admitting  any  other  system  of 
fortification  than  that  which  is  to  receive  our  grand 
depots,  our  magazines,  and  to  serve  as  places  to 
recruit  and  rest  our  troops  when  exhausted  by  long 
expeditionary  movements. 

"  These  fortifications  should  be  established  m  the 
midst  of  the  centres  of  action,  so  as  to  command 
the  principal  routes,  and  serve  as  pivots  to  expedi- 
tionary columns. 

"  We  owe  our  success  to  a  system  of  war  which 
has  its  proofs  in  twice  changing  our  relations  with 
the  Arabs.  This  system  consists  altogether  in  the 
great  mobility  we  have  given  to  our  troops.  In- 
stead of  disseminating  our  soldiers  with  the  vain 
hope  of  protecting  our  frontiers  with  a  line  of  small 
posts,  we  have  concentrated  them,  to  have  them  at 
all  times  ready  for  emergencies,  and  since  then  the 
fortune  of  the  Arabs  has  waned,  and  we  have 
marched  from  victory  to  victory. 

"  This  system,  which  has  thus  far  succeeded,  ought 
to  succeed  always,  and  to  conduct  us,  God  wiUiug, 
to  the  peaceful  possession  of  the  country." 

In  readmg  a  treatise  upon  war  as  it  is  practiced 
by  the  French  in  Algeria,  by  Colonel  A.  Laure,  of 


IISDIAN   FIGUTING.  203 

the  2d  Algerine  Tirailleurs,  published  in  Paris  in 
1858,  I  was  struck  with  the  remarkable  similarity 
between  the  habits  of  the  Arabs  and  those  of  the 
wandering  tribes  that  inhabit  our  Western  prairies. 
Their  mamier  of  making  war  is  almost  precisely  the 
same,  and  a  successful  system  of  strategic  operations 
for  one  will,  in  my  opinion,  apply  to  the  other. 

As  the  Turks  have  been  more  successful  than  the 
French  in  their  military  operations  against  the  Arab 
tribes,  it  may  not  be  altogether  uninteresting  to 
inquire  by  what  means  these  inferior  soldiers  have 
accomplished  the  best  results. 

The  author  above  mentioned,  in  speaking  upon 
this  subject,  says : 

"  In  these  latter  days  the  world  is  occupied  with 
the  organization  of  mounted  infantry,  according  to 
the  example  of  the  Turks,  where,  in  the  most  suc- 
cessful experiments  that  have  been  made,  the  mule 
carries  the  foot-soldier. 

"  The  Turkish  soldier  mounts  his  mule,  puts  his 
provisions  upon  one  side  and  his  accoutrements 
upon  the  other,  and,  thus  equipped,  sets  out  upon 
long  marches,  traveling  day  and  night,  and  only  re- 
posing occasionally  in  bivouac.  Arrived  near  the 
place  of  operations  (as  near  the  break  of  day  as 
possible),  the  Turks  dismount  in  the  most  profound 
silence,  and  pass  in  succession  the  bridle  of  one 
mule  through  that  of  another  in  such  a  manner 
that  a  single  man  is  sufficient  to  hold  forty  or  fifty 
of  them  by  retaining  the  last  bridle,  which  secures 
all  the  others ;  they  then  examine  their  arms,  and 
are  ready  to  commence  their  work.     The  chief 


204  PEAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

gives  his  last  orders,  posts  his  guides,  and  they 
make  the  attack,  surprise  the  enemy,  generally 
asleep,  and  carry  the  position  without  resistance. 
The  operation  terminated,  they  hasten  to  beat  a 
retreat,  to  prevent  the  neighboring  tribes  from  as- 
sembhng,  and  thus  avoid  a  combat. 

"The  Turks  had  only  three  thousand  mounted 
men  and  ten  thousand  infantry  in  Algeria,  yet  these 
thirteen  thousand  men  sufficed  to  conquer  the  same 
obstacles  which  have  arrested  us  for  twenty-six 
years,  notwithstanding  the  advantage  we  had  of 
an  army  which  was  successively  re-enforced  until  it 
amounted  to  a  hundred  thousand. 

"Why  not  imitate  the  Turks,  then,  mount  our 
infantry  upon  mules,  and  reduce  the  strength  of  our 
army  ? 

"  The  response  is  very  simple : 

"  The  Turks  are  Turks — that  is  to  say,  Mussul- 
mans— and  indigenous  to  the  country ;  the  Turks 
speak  the  Arabic  language ;  the  Deys  of  Algiers  had 
less  country  to  guard  than  we,  and  they  care  A^ery 
little  about  retaining  possession  of  it.  They  are  sat- 
isfied to  receive  a  part  of  its  revenues.  They  were 
not  permanent ;  their  dominion  was  held  by  a  thread. 
The  Arab  dwells  in  tents ;  his  magazines  are  in 
caves.  When  he  starts  upon  a  war  expedition,  he 
folds  his  tent,  drives  far  away  his  beasts  of  burden, 
which  transport  his  effects,  and  only  carries  with 
him  his  horse  and  arms.  Thus  equipped,  he  goes 
every  where ;  nothing  arrests  him ;  and  often,  when 
we  believe  him  twenty  leagues  distant,  he  is  in  am- 
bush at  precisely  rifle  range  from  the  flanks  of  his 
enemy. 

"It  may  be  thought  the  union  of  contingents 
might  retard  their  movements,  but  this  is  not  so. 
The  Arabs,  whether  they  number  ten  or  a  hund- 


INDIAN   FIGHTING.  205 

red  thousand,  move  with  equal  facility.  They  go 
where  they  wish  and  as  they  wish  upon  a  campaign ; 
the  place  of  rendezvous  merely  is  indicated,  and  they 
arrive  there. 

"  What  calculations  can  be  made  against  such  an 
organization  as  this  ? 

"  Strategy  evidently  loses  its  advantages  against 
such  enemies ;  a  general  can  only  make  conjectures ; 
he  marches  to  find  the  Arabs,  and  finds  them  not ; 
then,  again,  when  he  least  exj^ects  it,  he  suddenly 
encounters  them. 

"  When  the  Arab  despairs  of  success  in  battle, 
he  places  his  sole  reliance  upon  the  speed  of  his 
horse  to  escape  destruction ;  and  as  he  is  always  in 
a  country  where  he  can  make  his  camp  beside  a 
little  Avater,  he  travels  until  he  has  placed  a  safe 
distance  between  himself  and  his  enemy." 

ISTo  people  probably  on  the  face  of  the  earth  are 
more  ambitious  of  martial  fame,  or  entertain  a  high- 
er appreciation  for  the  deeds  of  a  daring  and  suc- 
cessful warrior,  than  the  North  American  savages. 
The  attainment  of  such  reputation  is  the  paramount 
and  absorbing  object  of  their  lives ;  all  their  aspira- 
tions for  distinction  uivariably  take  this  channel  of 
expression.  A  young  man  is  never  considered  wor- 
thy to  occupy  a  seat  in  council  until  he  has  en- 
countered an  enemy  in  battle ;  and  he  who  can 
count  the  greatest  number  of  scalps  is  the  most 
highly  honored  by  his  tribe.  This  idea  is  incul- 
cated from  their  earliest  infancy.  It  is  not  surpris- 
ing, therefore,  that,  with  such  weighty  inducements 
before  him,  the  young  man  who,  as  yet,  has  gained 


206  PKAIEIE   TEAVELEE. 

no  renown  as  a  brave  or  warrior,  should  be  less  dis- 
criminate in  his  attacks  than  older  men  who  have 
already  acquired  a  name.  The  yomig  braves  should, 
therefore,  be  closely  watched  when  encountered  on 
the  Plains. 

The  prairie  tribes  are  seldom  at  peace  with  all 
their  neighbors,  and  some  of  the  young  braves  of  a 
tribe  are  almost  always  absent  upon  a  war  excur- 
sion. These  forays  sometimes  extend  into  the  heart 
of  the  northern  states  of  Mexico,  where  the  In- 
dians have  carried  on  successful  invasions  for  many 
years.  They  have  devastated  and  depopulated  a 
great  portion  of  Sonora  and  Chihuahua.  The  ob- 
jects of  these  forays  are  to  steal  horses  and  mules, 
and  to  take  prisoners ;  and  if  it  so  hapj^ens  that  a 
war-party  has  been  unsuccessful  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  these  ends,  or  has  had  the  misfortune  to 
lose  some  of  its  number  in  battle,  they  become  reck- 
less, and  will  often  attack  a  small  party  with  whom 
they  are  not  at  war,  provided  they  hoj)e  to  escape 
detection.  The  disgrace  attendant  upon  a  return 
to  their  friends  without  some  trophies  as  an  offset 
to  the  loss  of  their  comrades  is  a  powerful  incentive 
to  action,  and  they  extend  but  little  mercy  to  de- 
fenseless travelers  who  have  the  misfortune  to  en- 
counter them  at  such  a  conjuncture. 

While  en  route  from  New  Mexico  to  Arkansas 
in  1849  I  was  encamped  near  the  head  of  the  Colo- 
rado River,  and  wishing  to  know  the  character  of 
the  country  for  a  few  miles  m  advance  of  our  posi- 


INDIAN   FIGHTING.  207 

tion,  I  desired  an  officer  to  go  out  and  make  the 
reconnoissance.  I  was  lying  sick  in  my  bed  at  the 
time,  or  I  should  have  performed  the  duty  myself. 
I  expected  the  officer  would  have  taken  an  escort 
with  him,  but  he  omitted  to  do  so,  and  started  off 
alone.  After  proceeding  a  short  distance  he  dis- 
covered four  mounted  Indians  coming  at  full  speed 
directly  toward  him,  when,  instead  of  turning  his 
own  horse  toward  camp,  and  endeavoring  to  make 
his  escape  (he  was  well  mounted),  or  of  halting  and 
assuming  a  defensive  attitude,  he  deliberately  rode 
up  to  them;  after  which  the  tracks  indicated  that 
they  proceeded  about  three  miles  together,  when  the 
Lidians  most  brutally  killed  and  scalped  my  most 
unfortunate  but  too  credulous  friend,  who  might 
probably  have  saved  his  life  had  he  not,  in  the  kind- 
ness of  his  excellent  heart,  imagined  that  the  sav- 
ages would  reciprocate  his  friendly  advances.  He 
was  most  woefully  mistaken,  and  his  life  paid  the 
forfeit  of  his  generous  and  noble  dis230sition. 

I  have  never  been  able  to  get  any  positive  inform- 
ation as  to  the  persons  who  committed  this  murder, 
yet  circumstances  render  it  highly  probable  that 
they  were  a  party  of  young  Indians  who  were  re- 
turning from  an  unsuccessful  foray,  and  they  were 
unable  to  resist  the  temptation  of  taking  the  scalp 
and  horse  of  the  lieutenant. 

A  small  number  of  white  men,  in  traveling  upon 
the  Plains,  should  not  allow  a  j)arty  of  strange  In- 
dians to  approach  them  unless  able  to  resist  an  at- 
tack under  the  most  unfavorable  circumstances. 


208  PKAIEIE   TRAVELEK. 

It  is  a  safe  rule,  when  a  man  finds  himself  alone 
in  the  prairies,  and  sees  a  party  of  Indians  approach- 
ing, not  to  allow  them  to  come  near  him,  and  if 
they  persist  in  so  doing,  to  signal  them  to  keep  away. 
If  they  do  not  obey,  and  he  be  mounted  upon  a 
fleet  horse,  he  should  make  for  the  nearest  timber. 
If  the  Indians  follow  and  press  him  too  closely,  he 
should  halt,  turn  around,  and  point  his  gun  at  the 
foremost,  which  will  often  have  the  effect  of  turn- 
ing them  back,  but  he  should  never  draw  trigger 
unless  he  finds  that  his  life  depends  upon  the  shot ; 
for,  as  soon  as  his  shot  is  delivered,  his  sole  depend- 
ence, unless  he  have  time  to  reload,  must  be  upon 
the  speed  of  his  horse. 

The  Indians  of  the  Plains,  notwithstanding  the 
encomiums  that  have  been  heaped  upon  their  breth- 
ren who  formerly  occupied  the  Eastern  States  for 
their  gratitude,  have  not,  so  far  as  I  have  observed, 
the  most  distant  conception  of  that  sentiment.  You 
may  confer  numberless  benefits  upon  them  for  years, 
and  the  more  that  is  done  for  them  the  more  they 
will  expect.  They  do  not  seem  to  comprehend  the 
motive  which  dictates  an  act  of  benevolence  or 
charity,  and  they  invariably  attribute  it  to  fear  or 
the  expectation  of  reward.  Wlien  they  make  a 
present,  it  is  with  a  view  of  getting  more  than  its 
equivalent  in  return. 

I  have  never  yet  been  able  to  discover  that  the 
Western  wild  tribes  possessed  any  of  those  attributes 
which  among  civilized  nations  are  regarded  as  vir- 


:^: 


/i/l/  '^^^M^'h 


J 


INDIAN  FIGHTING.  211 

tues  adorning  the  human  character.  They  have  yet 
to  be  taught  the  first  rudiments  of  civilization,  and 
they  are  at  this  time  as  far  from  any  knowledge  of 
Christianity,  and  as  worthy  subjects  for  missionary 
enterprise,  as  the  most  untutored  natives  of  the 
South  Sea  Islands. 

The  only  way  to  make  these  merciless  freebooters 
fear  or  respect  the  authority  of  our  government  is, 
when  they  misbehave,  first  of  all  to  chastise  them 
well  by  striking  such  a  blow  as  will  be  felt  for  a  long 
time,  and  thus  show  them  that  we  are  superior  to 
them  in  war.  They  will  then  respect  us  much  more 
than  when  their  good-will  is  purchased  with  pres- 
ents. 

The  opinion  of  a  friend  of  mine,  who  has  passed 
the  last  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  among  the  In- 
dians of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  corroborates  the 
opinions  I  have  advanced  upon  this  head,  and  al- 
though I  do  not  endorse  all  of  his  sentiments,  yet 
many  of  them  are  deduced  from  long  and  matured 
experience  and  critical  observation.    He  says : 

"  They  are  the  most  onsartainest  varmmts  in  all 
creation,  and  I  reckon  tha'r  not  mor'n  half  human ; 
for  you  never  seed  a  human,  arter  you'd  fed  and 
treated  him  to  the  best  fixins  m  your  lodge,  jist 
turn  round  and  steal  all  your  horses,  or  ary  other 
thing  he  could  lay  his  hands  on.  No,  not  adzackly. 
He  would  feel  kinder  grateful,  and  ask  you  to  spread 
a  blanket  in  his  lodge  ef  you  ever  passed  that  a- way. 
But  the  Injun  he  don't  care  shucks  for  you,  and  is 


212  PKAIIUE    TKAVELEE. 

ready  to  do  you  a  heap  of  miscliief  as  soon  as  he 
quits  your  feed.  IS'o,  Cap.,"  he  continued,  "  it's  not 
the  right  way  to  give  um  presents  to  buy  peace ; 
but  ef  I  war  governor  of  these  yeer  United  States, 
I'll  tell  you  what  I'd  do.  I'd  invite  um  all  to  a  big 
feast,  and  make  b'lieve  I  wanted  to  have  a  big  talk ; 
and  as  soon  as  I  got  um  all  together,  I'd  pitch  in 
and  sculp  about  half  of  um,  and  then  t'other  half 
would  be  mighty  glad  to  make  a  peace  that  would 
stick.  That's  the  way  I'd  make  a  treaty  with  the 
dog' on d,  red-bellied  varmints;  and  as  sure  as  you're 
born,  Cap.,  that's  the  only  Avay." 

I  sus^g-ested  to  him  the  idea  that  there  would  be 
a  lack  of  good  faith  and  honor  in  such  a  proceed- 
ing, and  that  it  would  be  much  more  in  accordance 
with  my  notions  of  fair  dealing  to  meet  them  openly 
in  the  field,  and  there  endeavor  to  punish  them  if 
they  deserve  it.     To  this  he  replied, 

"  Tain't  no  use  to  talk  about  honor  with  them, 
Cap. ;  they  ham't  got  no  such  thing  in  um ;  and 
they  won't  show  fair  fight,  any  Avay  you  can  fix  it. 
Don't  they  kill  and  sculp  a  white  man  Avhen-ar  they 
get  the  better  on  him  ?  The  mean  varmints,  they'll 
never  behave  themselves  until  you  give  um  a  clean 
out  and  out  licking.  They  can't  onderstand  white 
folks'  ways,  and  they  won't  learn  um ;  and  ef  you 
treat  um  decently,  they  think  you  ar  afeard.  You 
may  depend  on't.  Cap.,  the  only  way  to  treht  Injuns 
is  to  thrash  them  well  at  first,  then  the  balance  will 
sorter  take  to  you  and  behave  themselves." 


MEETING   I:N^DIANS.  213 

The  wealtli  of  the  Prah'ie  Indians  consists  almost 
exclusively  in  their  horses,  of  which  they  possess 
large  numbers ;  and  they  are  in  the  saddle  from  in- 
fancy to  old  age.  Horsemanship  is  with  them,  as 
with  the  Arab  of  the  Sahara,  a  necessary  part  of 
their  education.  The  country  they  occupy  is  un- 
suited  to  cultivation,  and  their  only  avocations  are 
war,  rapine,  and  the  chase.  They  have  no  fixed 
habitations,  but  move  from  place  to  place  with  the 
seasons  and  the  game.  All  their  worldly  effects 
are  transported  in  their  migrations,  and  wherever 
their  lodges  are  pitched  there  is  their  home.  They 
are  strangers  to  all  cares,  creating  for  themselves 
no  artificial  wants,  and  are  perfectly  happy  and  con- 
tented so  long  as  the  buffalo  is  found  within  the 
limits  of  their  wanderings.  Every  man  is  a  soldier, 
and  they  generally  exhibit  great  confidence  m  their 
own  military  prowess. 

MEETING  INDIANS. 

On  approaching  strangers  these  people  j^ut  their 
horses  at  full  speed,  and  persons  not  famihar  with 
their  peculiarities  and  habits  might  interpret  this 
as  an  act  of  hostility ;  but  it  is  their  custom  with 
friends  as  well  as  enemies,  and  should  not  occasion 
groundless  alarm. 

When  a  party  is  discovered  approaching  thus, 
and  are  near  enough  to  distinguish  signals,  all  that 
is  necessary  in  order  to  ascertain  their  disposition 
is  to  raise  the  right  hand  with  the  palm  in  front, 


214  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

and  gradually  push  it  forward  and  back  several 
times.  They  all  understand  this  to  be  a  command 
to  halt,  and  if  they  are  not  hostile  it  will  at  once  be 
obeyed. 

After  they  have  stoj)ped  the  right  hand  is  raised 
again  as  before,  and  slowly  moved  to  the  right  and 
left,  which  signifies  "  I  do  not  know  you.  Who  are 
you?"  As  all  the  wild  tribes  have  their  peculiar 
pantomimic  signals  by  which  they  are  known,  they 
will  then  answer  the  inquiry  by  giving  their  signal. 
If  this  should  not  be  understood,  they  may  be  asked 
if  they  are  friends  by  raising  both  hands  grasped 
in  the  manner  of  shakmg  hands,  or  by  locking  the 
two  fore-fingers  firmly  while  the  hands  are  held  up. 
If  friendly,  they  will  respond  with  the  same  signal ; 
but  if  enemies,  they  will  probably  disregard  the 
command  to  halt,  or  give  the  signal  of  anger  by 
closing  the  hand,  placing  it  against  the  forehead, 
and  turning  it  back  and  forth  while  in  that  posi- 
tion. 

The  pantomimic  vocabulary  is  understood  by  all 
the  Prairie  Indians,  and  when  oral  communication 
is  impracticable  it  constitutes  the  court  or  general 
council  language  of  the  Plains.  The  signs  are  ex- 
ceedingly graceful  and  significant ;  and,  what  was  a 
fact  of  much  astonishment  to  me,  I  discovered  they 
were  very  nearly  the  same  as  those  practiced  by 
the  mutes  in  our  deaf  and  dumb  schools,  and  were 
comprehended  by  them  with  perfect  facility. 

The  Comanche  is  represented  by  making  with 


MEETING   INDIANS.  215 

the  hand  a  waving  motion  in  imitation  of  the  crawl- 
ing of  a  snake. 

The  Cheyenne,  or  "  Cut-arm,"  by  drawing  the 
hand  across  the  arm,  to  imitate  cuttmg  it  with  a 
knife. 

The  Arapahoes,  or  "  Smellers,"  by  seizing  the  nose 
with  the  thumb  and  fore-finger. 

The  Sioux,  or  "  Cut-throats,"  by  drawing  the  hand 
across  the  throat. 

The  Pawnees,  or  "  Wolves,"  by  j)lacing  a  hand 
on  each  side  of  the  forehead,  with  two  fingers  point- 
ing to  the  front,  to  represent  the  narrow,  sharp  ears 
of  the  wolf. 

The  Crows,  by  imitating  the  flapping  of  the  bird's 
wings  with  the  palms  of  the  hands. 

When  Indians  meet  a  party  of  strangers,  and  are 
disposed  to  be  friendly,  the  chiefs,  after  the  usual 
salutations  have  been  exchanged,  generally  ride  out 
and  accompany  the  commander  of  the  party  some 
distance,  holding  a  friendly  talk,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  indulging  their  curiosity  by  learning  the  news, 
etc.  Phlegmatic  and  indifierent  as  they  appear  to 
be,  they  are  very  inquisitive  and  observing,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  exceedingly  circumspect  and  cau- 
tious about  disclosing  their  own  purposes. 

They  are  always  desirous  of  procuring,  from 
whomsoever  they  meet,  testimonials  of  their  good 
behavior,  which  they  preserve  with  great  care,  and 
exhibit  upon  all  occasions  to  strangers  as  a  guaran- 
tee of  future  good  conduct. 


216  PKAIEIE   TEAVELEK. 

On  meeting  with  a  chief  of  the  Southern  Coman- 
ches  in  1849,  after  going  through  the  usual  cere- 
mony of  embracing,  and  assuring  me  that  he  was 
the  best  friend  the  Americans  ever  had  among  the 
Indians,  he  exhibited  numerous  certificates  from  the 
different  white  men  he  had  met  with,  testifying  to 
his  friendly  disposition.  Among  these  was  one  that 
he  desired  me  to  read  with  special  attention,  as  he 
said  he  was  of  the  opinion  that  perhaps  it  might  not 
be  so  complimentary  in  its  character  as  some  of  the 
others.     It  was  in  these  words : 

"  The  bearer  of  this  says  he  is  a  Comanche  chief,  named 
Senaco;  that  he  is  the  biggest  Indian  and  best  friend  the 
whites  ever  had ;  in  fact,  that  he  is  a  first-rate  fellow ;  but  I 
believe  he  is  a  d — d  rascal,  so  look  out  for  him.^^ 

I  smiled  on  reading  the  paper,  and,  looking  up, 
found  the  chief's  eyes  intently  fixed  upon  mine 
with  an  expression  of  the  most  earnest  inquiry.  I 
told  him  the  paper  was  not  as  good  as  it  might  be, 
whereupon  he  destroyed  it. 

Five  years  after  this  interview  I  met  Senaco 
again  near  the  same  place.  He  recognized  me  at 
once,  and,  much  to  my  surprise,  pronounced  my 
name  quite  distinctly. 

A  circumstance  which  happened  in  my  interview 
with  this  Indian  shows  their  character  for  diplo- 
matic policy. 

I  was  about  locating  and  surveying  a  reservation 
of  land  upon  which  the  government  designed  to  es- 
tablish the  Comanches,  and  was  desirous  of  ascer- 


MEETING   INDIANS.  217 

taining  whether  they  were  disposed  vohmtarily  to 
come  into  the  measure.  In  this  connection,  I  stated 
to  him  that  their  Great  Father,  the  President,  being 
anxious  to  improve  their  condition,  was  wilHng  to 
give  them  a  permanent  location,  w^here  they  could 
cultivate  the  soil,  and,  if  they  Avished  it,  he  would 
send  white  men  to  teach  them  the  rudiments  of  ag- 
riculture, supply  them  with  farming  utensils,  and 
all  other  requisites  for  living  comfortably  in  their 
new  homes.  I  then  desired  him  to  consult  with  his 
people,  and  let  me  know  what  their  views  were 
upon  the  subject. 

After  talking  a  considerable  time  with  his  head 
men,  he  rose  to  reply,  and  said,  "  He  was  very  hap- 
py to  learn  that  the  President  remembered  his  poor 
red  children  in  the  Plains,  and  he  was  glad  to  see 
me  again,  and  hear  from  me  that  their  Great  Father 
was  their  friend ;  that  he  was  also  very  much  grat- 
ified to  meet  his  agent  who  was  present,  and  that 
he  should  remember  with  much  satisfaction  the 
agreeable  interview  we  had  had  upon  that  occa- 
sion." After  delivering  himself  of  numerous  other 
non-committal  expressions  of  similar  import,  he 
closed  his  speech  and  took  his  seat  without  making 
the  sHghtest  allusion  to  the  subject  in  question. 

On  reminding  him  of  this  omission,  and  again  de- 
manding from  him  a  distinct  and  categorical  an- 
swer, he,  after  a  brief  consultation  with  his  people, 
replied  that  liis  talk  was  made  and  concluded,  and 
]ie  did  not  comprehend  why  it  was  that  I  wanted 


218  PEAIEIE  TEAVELEE. 

to  open  the  subject  anew.  But,  as  I  continued  to 
press  him  for  an  answer,  he  at  length  said,  "  You 
come  into  our  country  and  select  a  small  patch  of 
ground,  around  which  you  run  a  line,  and  tell  us 
the  President  will  make  us  a  present  of  this  to  live 
upon,  when  every  body  knows  that  the  whole  of 
this  entire  country,  from  the  Red  River  to  the  Col- 
orado, is  now,  and  always  has  been,  ours  from  time 
immemorial.  I  suppose,  however,  if  the  President 
tells  us  to  confine  ourselves  to  these  narrow  limits, 
we  shall  be  forced  to  do  so,  whether  we  desire  it  or 
not." 

He  was  evidently  averse  to  the  proposed  change 
in  then*  mode  of  life,  and  has  been  at  war  ever  since 
the  establishment  of  the  settlement. 

The  mode  of  life  of  the  nomadic  tribes,  owing  to 
their  unsettled  and  warlike  habits,  is  such  as  to  ren- 
der their  condition  one  of  constant  danger  and  ap- 
prehension. The  security  of  their  numerous  ani- 
mals from  the  encroachments  of  their  enemies  and 
habitual  liability  to  attacks  compels  them  to  be  at 
all  times  upon  the  alert.  Even  during  profound 
peace  they  guard  their  herds  both  night  and  day, 
while  scouts  are  often  patrolling  upon  the  surround- 
ing heights  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  of 
strangers,  and  enable  them  to  secure  their  animals 
and  take  a  defensive  attitude. 

When  one  of  these  people  conceives  himself  in- 
jured his  thirst  for  revenge  is  insatiable.  Grave 
and  dignified  in  his  outward  bearing,  and  priding 


WAR    EXPEDITIONS.  219 

himself  uj^on  never  exhibiting  curiosity,  joy,  or  an- 
ger, yet  when  once  roused  he  evinces  the  implaca- 
ble dispositions  of  his  race ;  the  affront  is  laid  up 
and  cherished  in  his  breast,  and  nothing  can  efface 
it  from  his  mind  until  ample  reparation  is  made. 
The  insult  must  be  atoned  for  by  presents,  or  be 
washed  out  with  blood. 

WAK  EXPEDITIONS. 

When  a  chief  desires  to  organize  a  war-party,  he 
provides  himself  with  a  long  pole,  attaches  a  red 
flag  to  the  end  of  it,  and  trims  the  top  with  eagle 
feathers.  He  then  mounts  his  horse  in  his  war-cos- 
tume, and  rides  around  through  the  camp  singing 
the  war-song.  Those  who  are  disposed  to  join  the 
expedition  mount  tlieir  horses  and  fall  into  the  pro- 
cession; after  parading  about  for  a  time,  aU  dis- 
mount, and  the  war-dance  is  performed.  This  cer- 
emony is  continued  from  day  to  day  until  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  volunteers  are  found  to  accomplish 
the  objects  desired,  when  they  set  out  for  the  thea- 
tre of  their  intended  exploits. 

As  they  proceed  upon  their  expedition,  it  some- 
times haj)pens  that  the  chief  with  whom  it  origi- 
nated, and  who  invariably  assumes  the  command, 
becomes  discouraged  at  not  finding  an  opportunity 
of  displaying  his  warlike  abilities,  and  abandons  the 
enterprise ;  in  which  event,  if  others  of  the  party 
desire  to  proceed  farther,  they  select  another  lead- 
er and  push  on,  and  thus  so  long  as  any  one  of  the 
party  holds  out. 


220  PEAIRIE  TKAVELEK. 

A  war-party  is  sometimes  absent  for  a  great 
length  of  time,  and  for  days,  weeks,  and  months 
their  friends  at  home  anxiously  await  their  return, 
until,  suddenly,  from  afar,  the  shrill  war-cry  of  an 
avant  courier  is  heard  proclaiming  the  approach 
of  the  victorious  warriors.  The  camp  is  in  an  in- 
stant alive  with  excitement  and  commotion.  Men, 
women,  and  children  swarm  out  to  meet  the  ad- 
vancing party.  Their  white  horses  are  painted  and 
decked  out  in  the  most  fantastic  style,  and  led  in 
advance  of  the  triumphal  procession ;  and,  as  they 
pass  around  through  the  village,  the  old  women  set 
up  a  most  unearthly  howl  of  exultation,  after  which 
the  scalp-dance  is  performed  with  all  the  pomp  and 
display  their  limited  resources  admit  of,  the  war- 
riors having  their  faces  painted  black. 

When,  on  the  other  hand,  the  expedition  termi- 
nates disastrously  by  the  loss  of  some  of  the  party 
in  battle,  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  cut  off  their 
own  hair,  and  the  tails  and  manes  of  their  horses, 
as  symbols  of  mourning,  and  howl  and  cry  for  a 
long  time. 

In  1854  I  saw  the  widow  of  a  former  chief  of  the 
Southern  Comanches,  whose  husband  had  been  dead 
about  three  years,  yet  she  continued  her  mourning 
tribute  to  his  memory  by  crying  daily  for  him  and 
refusing  all  offers  to  marry  again. 

The  prairie  warrior  is  occasionally  seen  with  the 
rifle  in  his  hand,  but  his  fivorite  arm  is  the  bow, 
the  use  of  which  is  taught  him  at  an  early  age.    By 


WAR  EXPEDITIONS.  221 

constant  practice  he  acquires  a  skill  in  archery  that 
renders  him  no  less  formidable  in  war  than  success- 
ful in  the  chase.  Their  bows  are  usually  made  of 
the  tough  and  elastic  wood  of  the  "  hois  d?are!^'' 
strengthened  and  re-enforced  with  sinews  of  the 
deer  wrapped  firmly  around,  and  strung  with  a 
cord  of  the  same  material.  They  are  from  three  to 
four  feet  long.  The  arrows,  which  are  carried  in  a 
quiver  upon  the  back,  are  about  twenty  inches 
long,  of  flexible  wood,  with  a  triangular  iron  point 
at  one  end,  and  at  the  other  two  feathers  intersect- 
ing at  right  angles. 

At  short  distances  (about  fifty  yards),  the  bow,  in 
the  hands  of  the  Indian,  is  effective,  and  in  close 
proximity  with  the  buffalo  throws  the  arrow  entire- 
ly through  his  huge  carcass.  In  using  this  Aveapon 
the  warrior  protects  himself  from  the  missiles  of 
his  enemy  with  a  shield  made  of  two  thicknesses  of 
undressed  buffalo  hide  filled  in  with  hair. 

The  Comanches,  Sioux,  and  other  prairie  tribes 
make  their  attacks  upon  the  open  prairies.  Trust- 
ing to  their  wonderful  skill  in  equitation  and  horse- 
manship, they  ride  around  their  enemies  with  their 
bodies  thrown  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  horse, 
and  discharge  their  arrows  in  rapid  succession  while 
at  full  speed ;  they  will  not,  however,  often  venture 
near  an  enemy  who  occupies  a  defensive  position. 
If,  therefore,  a  small  party  be  in  danger  of  an  at- 
tack from  a  large  force  of  Indians,  they  should  seek 
the  cover  of  timber  or  a  park  of  wagons,  or,  m  the 


222  PEAIRIE   TEAVELEK. 

absence  of  these,  rocks  or  holes  in  the  prairie  which 
afford  good  cover. 

Attempts  to  stampede  animals  are  often  made 
when  parties  first  arrive  in  camp,  and  when  every- 
one's attention  is  preoccupied  in  the  arrangements 
therewith  connected.  In  a  country  mfested  by  hos- 
tile Indians,  the  ground  in  the  vicuiity  of  which  it 
is  proposed  to  encamp  should  be  cautiously  exam- 
ined for  tracks  and  other  Indian  sights  by  making  a 
circuit  around  the  locality  previous  to  unharnessing 
the  animals. 

After  Indians  have  succeeded  in  stampeding  a 
herd  of  horses  or  mules,  and  desire  to  drive  them 
away,  they  are  in  the  habit  of  pushing  them  for- 
ward as  rapidly  as  possible  for  the  first  few  days,  m 
order  to  place  a  wide  mterval  between  themselves 
and  any  party  that  may  be  in  pursuit. 

In  running  off  stolen  animals,  the  Indians  are 
generally  divided  into  two  parties,  one  for  driving 
and  the  other  to  act  as  a  rear  guard.  Before  they 
reach  a  place  where  they  propose  making  a  halt, 
they  leave  a  vidette  upon  some  prominent  i)omt  to 
watch  for  pursuers  and  give  the  main  party  timely 
warning,  enabling  them  to  rally  their  animals  and 
push  forward  again. 

TRACKING  INDIANS. 
When  an  Indian  sentinel  intends  to  watch  for  an 
enemy  approachmg  from  the  rear,  he  selects  the 
highest  position  available,  and  places  himself  near 


TKACKING   INDIANS.  223 

the  summit  in  such  an  attitude  that  his  entire  body 
shall  be  concealed  from  the  observation  of  any  one 
in  the  rear,  his  head  only  being  exposed  above  the 
top  of  the  eminence.  Here  he  awaits  with  great 
patience  so  long  as  he  thinks  there  is  any  possibili- 
ty of  danger,  and  it  will  be  difficult  for  an  enemy  to 
surprise  him  or  to  elude  his  keen  and  scrutinizing 
vigilance.  Meanwhile  his  horse  is  secured  under 
the  screen  of  the  hill,  all  ready  when  required. 
Hence  it  will  be  evident  that,  in  following  Indian 
depredators,  the  utmost  vigilance  and  caution  must 
be  exercised  to  conceal  from  them  the  movements 
of  their  pursuers.  They  are  the  best  scouts  in  the 
world,  proficient  in  all  the  artifices  and  stratagems 
available  in  border  warfare,  and  when  hotly  pur- 
sued by  a  superior  force,  after  exhausting  all  other 
means  of  evasion,  they  scatter  in  difi*erent  direc- 
tions ;  and  if,  in  a  broken  or  mountainous  country, 
they  can  do  no  better,  abandon  their  horses  and 
baggage,  and  take  refuge  in  the  rocks,  gorges,  or 
other  hiding-places.  This  plan  has  several  times 
been  resorted  to  by  Indians  in  Texas  when  sur- 
prised, and,  notwithstanding  their  pursuers  were 
directly  upon  them,  the  majority  made  their  escape, 
leaving  behind  all  their  animals  and  other  property. 
For  overtaking  a  marauding  party  of  Indians 
who  have  advanced  eio^ht  or  ten  hours  before  the 
pursuing  party  are  in  readiness  to  take  the  trail,  it 
is  not  best  to  push  forward  rapidly  at  first,  as  this 
will  weary  and  break  down  horses.     The  Indians 


224  PRAIKIE   TEAVELER. 

must  be  supposed  to  have  at  least  fifty  or  sixty 
miles  the  start ;  it  will,  therefore,  be  useless  to  think 
of  overtaking  them  without  providmg  for  a  long 
chase.  Scouts  should  continually  be  kept  out  in 
front  upon  the  trail  to  reconnoitre  and  give  precon- 
certed signals  to  the  main  party  when  the  Lidians 
are  espied. 

Li  approaching  all  eminences  or  undulations  in 
the  prairies,  the  commander  should  be  careful  not 
to  allow  any  considerable  number  of  his  men  to 
pass  uj^on  the  summits  until  the  country  around  has 
been  carefully  reconnoitred  by  the  scouts,  who  will 
cautiously  raise  their  eyes  above  the  crests  of  the 
most  elevated  points,  making  a  scrutinizing  exami- 
nation in  all  directions ;  and,  while  doing  this, 
should  an  Indian  be  encountered  who  has  been  left 
behind  as  a  sentinel,  he  must,  if  possible,  be  secured 
or  shot,  to  prevent  his  giving  the  alarm  to  his  com- 
rades. These  precautions  can  not  be  too  rigidly 
enforced  when  the  trail  becomes  "  warm ;"  and  if 
there  be  a  moon,  it  will  be  better  to  lie  by  in  the 
daytime  and  follow  the  trail  at  night,  as  the  great 
object  is  to  come  upon  the  Indians  when  they  are 
not  anticipating  an  attack.  Such  surprises,  if  dis- 
creetly conducted,  generally  prove  successful. 

As  soon  as  the  Indians  are  discovered  in  their 
bivouac,  the  pursuing  party  should  dismount,  leave 
their  horses  under  charge  of  a  guard  in  some  se- 
questered place,  and,  before  advancing  to  the  at- 
tack, the  men  should  be  instructed  in  signals  for 


TKACKING  INDIANS.  225 

their  dijBferent  movements,  such  as  all  will  easily 
comprehend  and  remember.  As,  for  example,  a 
pull  upon  the  right  arm  may  signify  to  face  to  the 
right,  and  a  pull  upon  the  left  arm  to  face  to  the 
left ;  a  pull  upon  the  skirt  of  the  coat,  to  halt ;  a 
gentle  push  on  the  back,  to  advance  in  ordinary 
time;  a  slap  on  the  back,  to  advance  in  double 
quick  time,  etc.,  etc. 

These  signals,  having  been  previously  well  under- 
stood and  practiced,  may  be  given  by  the  command- 
er to  the  man  next  to  him,  and  from  him  commimi- 
cated  in  rapid  succession  throughout  the  command. 

I  will  suppose  the  party  formed  in  one  rank,  with 
the  commander  on  the  right.  He  gives  the  signal, 
and  the  men  move  off  cautiously  in  the  direction 
indicated.  The  importance  of  not  losing  sight  of 
his  comrades  on  his  right  and  left,  and  of  not  al- 
lowing them  to  get  out  of  his  reach,  so  as  to  break 
the  cham  of  communication,  will  be  apparent  to  all, 
and  great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  men  do  not 
mistake  their  brothers  in  arms  for  the  enemy.  This 
may  be  prevented  by  having  two  pass-words^  and 
when  there  be  any  doubt  as  to  the  identity  of  two 
men  who  meet  during  the  night  operations,  one  of 
these  words  may  be  repeated  by  each.  Above  all, 
the  men  must  be  fully  impressed  with  the  import- 
ance of  not  firing  a  shot  until  the  order  is  given  by 
the  commanding  officer,  and  also  that  a  rigorous 
personal  accountability  will  be  enforced  in  all  cases 
of  a  violation  of  this  rule. 
P 


226  PEAIEIE   TKAVELEK. 

If  the  commander  gives  the  signal  for  commenc- 
ing the  attack  by  firing  a  pistol  or  gun,  there  will 
probably  be  no  mistake,  miless  it  happens  through 
carelessness  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  fire- 
arms. 

I  can  conceive  of  nothing  more  appalhng,  or  that 
tends  more  to  throw  men  off  their  guard  and  pro- 
duce confusion,  than  a  sudden  and  unexjoected 
night-attack.  Even  the  Indians,  who  pride  them- 
selves upon  their  coolness  and  self-possession,  are 
far  from  being  exempt  from  its  effects ;  and  it  is 
not  surprising  that  men  who  go  to  sleep  with  a 
sense  of  perfect  security  around  them,  and  are  sud- 
denly aroused  from  a  sound  slumber  by  the  terrific 
sounds  of  an  onslaught  from  an  enemy,  should  lose 
their  presence  of  mind. 

TELEGRAPHING  BY  SMOKES. 

The  transparency  of  the  atmosphere  upon  the 
Plains  is  such  that  objects  can  be  seen  at  great  dis- 
tances ;  a  mountain,  for  example,  presents  a  distinct 
and  bold  outline  at  fifty  or  sixty  miles,  and  may  oc- 
casionally be  seen  as  far  as  a  hundred  miles. 

The  Indians,  availing  themselves  of  this  fact,  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  practicing  a  system  of  telegraph- 
ing by  means  of  smokes  during  the  day  and  fires 
by  night,  and,  I  dare  say,  there  are  but  few  travel- 
ers who  have  crossed  the  mountains  to  California 
that  have  not  seen  these  signals  made  and  respond- 
ed to  from  peak  to  peak  in  rapid  succession. 


TELEGEAPHING   BY   SMOKES.  227 

The  Indians  thus  make  known  to  their  friends 
many  items  of  information  highly  important  to 
them.  If  enemies  or  strangers  make  their  appear- 
ance in  the  country,  the  fact  is  telegraphed  at  once, 
giving  them  time  to  secure  their  animals  and  to 
prejoare  for  attack,  defense,  or  flight. 

War  or  huntmg  parties,  after  having  been  absent 
a  long  time  from  their  erratic  friends  at  home,  and 
not  knowing  where  to  find  them,  make  use  of  the 
same  preconcerted  signals  to  indicate  their  presence. 
Very  dense  smokes  may  be  raised  by  kmdling  a 
large  fire  with  dry  wood,  and  piling  upon  it  the 
green  boughs  of  pine,  balsam,  or  hemlock.  This 
throws  off"  a  heavy  cloud  of  black  smoke  which  can 
be  seen  very  far. 

This  simple  method  of  telegraphing,  so  useful  to 
the  savages  both  in  war  and  in  peace,  may,  in  my 
judgment,  be  used  to  advantage  in  the  movements 
of  troops  co-operating  in  separate  columns  in  the 
Indian  country. 

I  shall  not  attempt  at  this  time  to  present  a  ma- 
tured system  of  signals,  but  will  merely  give  a  few 
suggestions  tending  to  illustrate  the  advantages  to 
be  derived  from  the  use  of  them. 

For  example,  when  two  columns  are  marchmg 
through  a  country  at  such  distances  apart  that 
smokes  may  be  seen  from  one  to  the  other,  their 
respective  positions  may  be  made  known  to  each 
other  at  any  time  by  two  smokes  raised  simulta- 
neously or  at  certain  preconcerted  intervals. 


228  PEAIEIE   TEAVELEE. 

Should  the  commander  of  one  column  desire  to 
communicate  with  the  other,  he  raises  three  smokes 
simultaneously,  which,  if  seen  by  the  other  party, 
should  be  responded  to  in  the  same  manner.  They 
would  then  hold  themselves  in  readiness  for  any 
other  communications. 

If  an  enemy  is  discovered  in  small  numbers,  a 
smoke  raised  twice  at  fifteen  minutes'  interval  would 
indicate  it ;  and  if  in  large  force,  three  times  with 
the  same  intervals  might  be  the  signal. 

Should  the  commander  of  one  party  desire  the 
other  to  join  him,  this  might  be  telegraphed  by  four 
smokes  at  ten  minutes'  interval. 

Should  it  become  necessary  to  change  the  direc- 
tion of  the  line  of  march,  the  commander  may  trans- 
mit the  order  by  means  of  two  simultaneous  smokes 
raised  a  certain  number  of  times  to  indicate  the 
particular  direction ;  for  instance,  twice  for  north, 
three  times  for  south,  four  times  for  east,  and  five 
times  for  west ;  three  smokes  raised  twice  for 
northeast,  three  times  for  northwest,  etc.,  etc. 

By  multiplying  the  combinations  of  signals  a 
great  variety  of  messages  might  be  transmitted 
in  this  manner;  but,  to  avoid  mistakes,  the  sig- 
nals should  be  written  down  and  copies  furnished 
the  commander  of  each  separate  party,  and  they 
need  not  necessarily  be  made  known  to  other 
persons. 

During  the  day  an  intelligent  man  should  be  de- 
tailed to  keep  a  vigilant  look-out  in  all  dii'ections 


TELEGRAPHING   BY   SMOKES.  229 

for  smokes,  and  he  should  be  furnished  with  a 
watch,  j)encil,  and  paper,  to  make  a  record  of  the 
signals,  with  their  number,  and  the  time  of  the  in- 
tervals between  them. 


230  PRAIKIE   TRAVELER. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Hunting. — Its  Benefits  to  the  Soldier. — ^Buffalo. — Deer. — An- 
telope.—  Bear.  —  Big-horn,  or  Mountain  Sheep. — Their 
Habits,  and  Hints  upon  the  best  Methods  of  hunting  them. 

HUNTING. 

I  KNOW  of  no  better  school  of  practice  for  per- 
fecting men  in  target-firing,  and  the  use  of  fire- 
arms generally,  than  that  in  which  the  frontier 
hunter  receives  his  education.  One  of  the  first  and 
most  important  lessons  that  he  is  taught  impresses 
him  with  the  conviction  that,  unless  his  gim  is  in 
good  order  and  steadily  directed  upon  the  game,  he 
must  go  without  his  supi^er ;  and  if  ambition  does 
not  stimulate  his  efiforts,  his  appetite  will,  and  ulti- 
mately lead  to  success  and  confidence  in  his  own 
powers. 

The  man  who  is  afraid  to  place  the  butt  of  his 
piece  firmly  against  his  shoulder,  or  who  turns 
away  his  head  at  the  instant  of  pullmg  trigger  (as 
soldiers  often  do  before  they  have  been  drilled  at 
target -practice),  will  not  be  likely  to  bag  much 
game  or  to  contribute  materially  toward  the  result 
of  a  battle.  The  successful  hunter,  as  a  general 
rule,  is  a  good  shot,  will  always  charge  his  gun 
properly,  and  may  be  relied  upon  in  action.  I 
would,  therefore,  when  in  garrison  or  at  permanent 


XEACKB  OF   GAME   QUADIiUPEna   REPUESENTED    WALKING. 


HUNTING.  233 

camps,  encourage  officers  and  soldiers  in  field-sports. 
If  permitted,  men  very  readily  cultivate  a  fondness 
for  these  innocent  and  healthy  exercises,  and  occu- 
py their  leisure  time  in  their  pursuit ;  whereas,  if 
confined  to  the  narrow  limits  of  a  frontier  camp  or 
garrison,  having  no  amusements  within  their  reach, 
they  are  prone  to  indulge  in  practices  which  are 
highly  detrimental  to  their  physical  and  moral  con- 
dition. 

By  making  short  excursions  about  the  country 
they  acquire  a  knowledge  of  it,  become  inured  to 
fatigue,  learn  the  art  of  bivouacking,  trailing,  etc., 
etc.,  all  of  which  will  be  found  serviceable  in  bor- 
der warfare ;  and,  even  if  they  should  perchance 
now  and  then  miss  some  of  the  minor  routine  duties 
of  the  garrison,  the  benefits  they  would  derive  from 
hunting  would,  in  my  opinion,  more  than  counter- 
balance its  effects.  Under  the  old  regime  it  was 
thought  that  drills,  dress-parades,  and  guard-mount- 
ings comprehended  the  sum  total  of  the  soldier's 
education,  but  the.  experience  of  the  last  ten  years 
has  taught  us  that  these  are  only  the  rudiments, 
and  that  to  combat  successfully  with  Indians  we 
must  receive  instruction  from  them,  study  their 
tactics,  and,  where  they  suit  our  purposes,  copy 
from  them. 

The  union  of  discipline  with  the  individuality, 
self-reliance,  and  rapidity  of  locomotion  of  the  sav- 
age is  what  we  should  aim  at.  This  will  be  the 
tendency  of  the  course  indicated,  and  it  is  con- 


234  PEAIRIE  TEAVELEE. 

ceived  by  the  writer  that  an  army  composed  of 
well-disciplined  hunters  will  be  the  most  efficient 
of  all  others  against  the  only  enemy  we  have  to  en- 
counter within  the  hmits  of  our  vast  j^ossessions. 

I  find  some  pertinent  remarks  upon  this  subject 
in  a  very  sensible  essay  by  "  a  late  captain  of  in- 
fantry" (U.  S.).    He  says : 

"  It  is  conceived  that  scattered  bands  of  momited 
hunters,  with  the  speed  of  a  horse  and  the  watch- 
fulness of  a  wolf  or  antelope,  whose  faculties  are 
sharpened  by  their  necessities  ;  who,  when  they  get 
short  of  provisions,  separate  and  look  for  something 
to  eat,  and  find  it  in  the  water,  in  the  ground,  or 
on  the  surface;  whose  bill  of  fare  ranges  from 
grass-seed,  nuts,  roots,  grasshoppers,  lizards,  and 
rattlesnakes  up  to  the  antelope,  deer,  elk,  bear,  and 
bufiklo,  and  who  have  a  continent  to  roam  over, 
will  be  neither  surprised,  caught,  conquered,  over- 
awed, or  reduced  to  famine  by  a  rumbling,  bugle- 
blowing,  drum-beating  town  passing  through  their 
country  on  wheels  at  the  speed  of  a  loaded  wagon. 

"  If  the  Indians  are  in  the  path  and  do  not  wish 
to  be  seen,  they  cross  a  ridge,  and  the  town  moves 
on,  ignorant  whether  there  are  fifty  Indians  within 
a  mile  or  no  Indian  within  fifty  miles.  If  the  In- 
dians wish  to  see,  they  return  to  the  crest  of  the 
ridge,  crawl  up  to  the  edge,  pull  up  a  bunch  of 
grass  by  the  roots,  and  look  through  or  under  it  at 
the  procession." 

Although  I  would  always  encourage  men  in  himt- 


HUNTING.  235 

ing  when  permanently  located,  yet,  unless  they  are 
good  woodsmen,  it  is  not  safe  to  permit  them  to  go 
out  alone  in  marching  through  the  Indian  country, 
as,  aside  from  the  danger  of  encountering  Indians, 
they  would  be  liable  to  become  bewildered  and 
perhaps  lost,  and  this  might  detain  the  entke  party 
in  searching  for  them.  The  better  plan  upon  a 
march  is  for  three  or  four  to  go  out  together,  ac- 
companied by  a  good  woodsman,  who  will  be  able 
with  certainty  to  lead  them  back  to  camp. 

The  little  group  could  ascertain  if  Indians  are 
about,  and  would  be  strong  enough  to  act  on  the 
defensive  against  small  parties  of  them ;  and,  while 
they  are  amusing  themselves,  they  may  perform  an 
important  part  as  scouts  and  flankers. 

An  expedition  may  have  been  i:>erfectly  organ- 
ized, and  every  thing  provided  that  the  wisest  fore- 
thought could  suggest,  yet  circumstances  beyond  the 
control  of  the  most  experienced  traveler  may  some- 
times arise  to  defeat  the  best  concerted  plans.  It 
is  not,  for  example,  an  impossible  contingency  that 
the  traveler  may,  by  unforeseen  delays,  consume 
his  provisions,  lose  them  in  crossing  streams,  or 
have  them  stolen  by  hostile  Indians,  and  be  reduced 
to  the  necessity  of  depending  upon  game  for  sub- 
sistence. Under  these  circumstances,  a  few  obser- 
vations upon  the  habits  of  the  different  animals  that 
frequent  the  Plains  and  on  the  best  methods  of  hunt- 
ing them  may  not  be  altogether  devoid  of  interest 
or  utility  in  this  connection. 


236  PEAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

THE  BUFFALO. 

The  largest  and  most  useful  animal  that  roams 
over  the  prairies  is  the  buffalo.  It  provides  food, 
clothing,  and  shelter  to  thousands  of  natives  whose 
means  of  livelihood  depend  almost  exclusively  upon 
this  gigantic  monarch  of  the  prairies. 

Not  many  years  since  they  thronged  in  countless 
multitudes  over  all  that  vast  area  lying  between 
Mexico  and  the  British  possessions,  but  now  their 
range  is  confined  within  very  narrow  limits,  and  a 
few  more  years  wUl  probably  witness  the  extinction 
of  the  species. 

The  traveler,  in  passing  from  Texas  or  Arkansas 
through  southern  New  Mexico  to  California,  does 
not,  at  the  present  day,  encounter  the  buffalo ;  but 
upon  all  the  routes  north  of  latitude  36°  the  animal 
is  still  found  between  the  99th  and  102d  meridians 
of  longitude. 

Although  generally  regarded  as  migratory  in  their 
habits,  yet  the  buffalo  often  winter  in  the  snows  of 
a  high  northern  latitude.  Early  in  the  spring  of 
1858  I  found  them  in  the  Rocky  Mountams,  at  the 
head  of  the  Arkansas  and  South  Platte  Rivers,  and 
there  was  every  indication  that  this  was  a  perma- 
nent abiding-place  for  them. 

There  are  two  methods  generally  practiced  in 
hunting  the  buffalo,  viz. :  running  them  on  horse- 
back, and  stalking,  or  still-hmiting.  The  first  meth- 
od requires  a  sure-footed  and  tolerably  fleet  horse 


THE  BUFFALO.  237 

that  is  not  easily  frightened.  The  buffalo  cow, 
which  makes  much  better  beef  than  the  bull,  when 
pursued  by  the  hunter  runs  rapidly,  and,  unless  the 
horse  be  fleet,  it  requires  a  long  and  exhausting 
chase  to  overtake  her. 

When  the  buffalo  are  discovered,  and  the  hunter 
intends  to  give  chase,  he  should  first  dismount,  ar- 
range his  saddle-blanket  and  saddle,  buckle  the 
girth  tight,  and  make  every  thing  about  his  horse 
furniture  snug  and  secure.  He  should  then  put  his 
arms  in  good  firing  order,  and,  taking  the  lee  side 
of  the  herd,  so  that  they  may  not  get  "  the  vnncV 
of  him,  he  should  approach  in  a  walk  as  close  as 
possible,  taking  advantage  of  any  cover  that  may 
offer.  His  horse  then,  bemg  cool  and  fresh,  will 
be  able  to  dash  into  the  herd,  and  probably  carry 
his  rider  very  near  the  animal  he  has  selected  be- 
fore he  becomes  alarmed. 

If  the  hunter  be  right-handed,  and  uses  a  pistol, 
he  should  approach  upon  the  left  side,  and  when 
nearly  opposite  and  close  upon  the  buffalo,  deliver 
his  shot,  taking  aim  a  little  below  the  centre  of  the 
body,  and  about  eight  inches  back  of  the  shoulder. 
This  will  strike  the  vitals,  and  generally  render 
another  shot  unnecessary. 

When  a  rifle  or  shot-gun  is  used  the  hunter  rides 
up  on  the  right  side,  keeping  his  horse  well  in  hand, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  turn  off  if  the  beast  charges  upon 
him;  this,  however,  never  happens  except  with  a 
buffalo  that  is  wounded,  when  it  is  advisable  to  keep 
out  of  his  reach. 


238  TKAIRIE   TEAVELEE. 

The  buffalo  has  immense  powers  of  endurance, 
and  will  run  for  many  miles  without  any  apparent 
effort  or  diminution  in  speed.  The  first  buffalo  I 
ever  saw  I  followed  about  ten  miles,  and  when  I 
left  him  he  seemed  to  run  faster  than  Avhen  the 
chase  commenced. 

As  a  long  buffalo-chase  is  very  severe  labor  upon 
a  horse,  I  would  recommend  to  all  travelers,  unless 
they  have  a  good  deal  of  surplus  horse-flesh,  never 
to  expend  it  in  running  buffalo. 

Still-hunting,  which  requires  no  consumption  of 
horse-flesh,  and  is  equally  successful  with  the  other 
method,  is  recommended.  In  stalkmg  on  horse- 
back, the  most  broken  and  hilly  localities  should  be 
selected,  as  these  will  furnish  cover  to  the  hunter, 
who  passes  from  the  crest  of  one  hill  to  another, 
examining  the  country  carefully  in  all  directions. 
When  the  game  is  discovered,  if  it  happen  to  be  on 
the  lee  side,  the  hunter  should  endeavor,  by  mak- 
ing a  wide  detour,  to  get  upon  the  opposite  side, 
as  he  will  find  it  impossible  to  approach  within 
rifle  range  with  the  wind. 

When  the  animal  is  upon  a  hill,  or  in  any  other 
position  where  he  can  not  be  approached  without 
danger  of  disturbing  him,  the  hunter  should  wait 
imtil  he  moves  off  to  more  favorable  ground,  and 
this  will  not  generally  require  much  time,  as  they 
wander  about  a  great  deal  when  not  grazing;  he 
then  pickets  his  horse,  and  approaches  cautiously, 
seeking  to  screen  himself  as  much  as  possible  by  the 


THE   BUFFALO.  239 

undulations  in  the  surface,  or  beMncl  such  other  ob- 
jects as  may  present  themselves ;  but  if  the  surface 
should  offer  no  cover,  he  must  crawl  upon  his  hands 
and  knees  when  near  the  game,  and  in  this  way  he 
can  generally  get  within  rifle  range. 

Should  there  be  several  animals  together,  and  his 
first  shot  take  effect,  the  hunter  can  often  get  sev- 
eral other  shots  before  they  become  frightened.  A 
Delaware  Indian  and  myself  once  killed  five  buffa- 
loes out  of  a  small  herd  before  the  remainder  were 
so  much  disturbed  as  to  move  away ;  although  we 
were  within  the  short  distance  of  twenty  yards, 
yet  the  reports  of  our  rifles  did  not  frighten  them 
in  the  least,  and  they  continued  grazing  during  all 
the  time  we  were  loading  and  firing. 

The  sense  of  smelling  is  exceedingly  acute  with 
the  buffalo,  and  they  will  take  the  wind  from  the 
hunter  at  as  great  a  distance  as  a  mile. 

When  the  animal  is  wounded,  and  stops,  it  is 
better  not  to  go  near  him  until  he  Ues  down,  as  he 
will  often  run  a  great  distance  if  disturbed ;  but  if 
left  to  himself,  will  in  many  cases  die  in  a  short 
time. 

When  buffaloes  are  grazing  upon  an  open  flat 
prairie  where  the  grass  is  short,  affording  no  cover, 
the  Indians  stalk  them  by  covering  themselves  with 
a  light-colored  blanket,  and  crawling  along  the 
ground  on  their  hands  and  knees  to  the  leeward  of 
the  herd,  and  at  the  same  time  dragging  their  guns 
or  bows  and  arrows  along  with  them.     If  proper 


240  PKAIRIE  TRAVELEK. 

caution  is  used,  they  are  thus  enabled  to  reach  the 
desired  proximity,  and  may  even  approach  directly 
into  the  midst  of  the  herds  without  giving  alarm. 

It  very  rarely  happens  that  there  is  any  danger 
resulting  from  this  method  of  approach  unless  the 
hunter  by  a  careless  shot  gives  an  animal  a  slight 
flesh-wound,  which  only  tends  to  irritate  him.  In- 
stances have  occurred  under  such  circumstances 
when  the  hunter's  life  has  been  exposed  to  immi- 
nent jeopardy.  I  once  knew  a  case  of  this  kind  in 
which  an  experienced  buifalo-hunter  was  pursued 
by  a  young  bull  for  several  hundred  yards,  and  he 
only  effected  his  escape  by  passing  over  an  elevated 
swell  in  the  prairie  and  hiding  in  some  tall  grass 
which  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  find  at  this  critical 
juncture.  The  buffalo,  on  reaching  the  top  of  the 
eminence,  cast  a  glance  around,  but,  not  discovering 
his  adversary,  abandoned  the  pursuit  and  walked 
away  in  another  direction. 

When  a  man  on  foot. is  pursued  by  a  buffalo,  if 
he  will  drop  some  object,  such  as  his  coat,  hat,  or 
other  article  of  dress,  this  will  often  divert  the  an- 
imal's attention,  and  he  will  stop  and  vent  his  rage 
upon  it,  thus  giving  the  hunter  time  to  get  out  of 
danger. 

When  a  herd  of  buffalo  is  pursued  they  run  in  a 
soHd  mass,  keeping  close  together,  but  with  the 
cows  near  the  front,  and  on  the  inside,  so  that  it  is 
necessary,  in  order  to  reach  them,  to  penetrate  the 
dense  phalanx  of  bulls  occupying  the  outside.    This 


THE   BUFFALO.  241 

may  be  done  by  riding  along  with  the  herd  and 
gradually  inclining  toward  the  centre  as  openings 
present  themselves ;  this,  however,  is  a  feat  attend- 
ed with  some  hazard,  and  should  not  be  attempted 
by  any  one  without  a  well-trained  and  sure-footed 
horse,  as,  in  the  event  of  being  unhorsed,  the  hunter 
would  inevitably  be  trampled  to  pieces  under  the 
feet  of  the  buffalo. 

It  is  dangerous  to  chase  a  herd  of  buffalo  when 
they  raise  such  a  dust  as  to  make  it  difficult  to  see 
them  or  to  judge  accurately  of  their  position. 

The  hunter  should  never  leave  his  horse  near  a 
herd  of  buffalo  without  tying  him,  as  horses  Avill 
often  start  off  with  the  buffalo,  and  are  sometimes 
irretrievably  lost  in  this  way.  One  of  our  officers, 
en  route  to  Utah,  jumped  from  his  horse,  and,  leav- 
ing him  without  tying,  ran  forward  to  shoot  a  buf- 
falo, when,  much  to  his  astonishment,  his  horse  sud- 
denly took  to  his  heels,  joined  the  fleeing  herd  with 
saddle,  bridle,  and  other  accoutrements,  continued 
with  it  far  over  the  prairies  out  of  sight,  and  has 
not,  I  believe,  been  heard  from  since. 

The  tongues,  humj^s,  and  marrow-bones  are  re- 
garded as  the  choice  parts  of  the  animal.  The 
tongue  is  taken  out  by  ripping  open  the  skin  be- 
tween the  prongs  of  the  lower  jaw-bone  and  pull- 
ing it  out  through  the  orifice.  The  hump  may  be 
taken  off  by  skinning  down  on  each  side  of  the 
shoulders  and  cutting  away  the  meat,  after  which 
0, 


242  PRAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

the  hump-ribs  can  be  unjointed  where  they  unite 
with  the  spine.  The  marrow,  when  roasted  in  tlie 
bones,  is  delicious. 

THE  DEER. 

Of  all  game  quadrupeds  indigenous  to  this  conti- 
nent, the  common  red  deer  is  probably  more  wide- 
ly dispersed  from  north  to  south  and  from  east  to 
west  over  our  vast  possessions  than  any  other. 
They  are  found  in  all  latitudes  from  Hudson's  Bay 
to  Mexico,  and  they  clamber  over  the  most  elevated 
peaks  of  the  western  sierras  with  the  same  ease  that 
they  range  the  eastern  forests  or  the  everglades  of 
Florida.  In  summer  they  crop  the  grass  upon  the 
summits  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  in  winter, 
when  the  snow  falls  deep,  they  descend  into  shel- 
tered valleys,  where  they  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the 
Indians. 

Besides  the  common  red  deer  of  the  Eastern 
States,  two  other  varieties  are  found  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  viz.,  the  "black -tailed  deer,"  which 
takes  its  name  from  the  fact  of  its  having  a  small 
tuft  of  black  hair  upon  the  end  of  its  tail,  and  the 
long-tailed  species.  The  former  of  these  is  consid- 
erably larger  than  the  eastern  deer,  and  is  much 
darker,  being  of  a  very  deep-yellowish  iron-gray, 
with  a  yellowish  red  upon  the  belly.  It  frequents 
the  mountams,  and  is  never  seen  far  away  from 
them.  Its  habits  are  similar  to  those  of  the  red 
deer,  and  it  is  hunted  in  the  same  way.    The  only 


THE   DEER.  243 

difference  I  have  been  able  to  discern  between  the 
long-tailed  variety  and  the  common  deer  is  in  the 
length  of  the  tail  and  body.  I  have  seen  this  ani- 
mal only  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains, but  it  may  resort  to  other  localities. 

Although  the  deer  are  still  abundant  in  many  of 
our  forest  districts  in  the  east,  and  do  not  appear  to 
decrease  very  rapidly,  yet  there  has  within  a  few 
years  been  a  very  evident  diminution  in  the  num- 
bers of  those  frequenting  our  "Western  prairies.  In 
passmg  through  Southern  Texas  in  1846,  thousands 
of  deer  were  met  with  daily,  and,  astonishing  as  it 
may  appear,  it  was  no  uncommon  spectacle  to  see 
from  one  to  two  hundred  in  a  single  herd;  the 
prairies  seemed  literally  alive  with  them;  but  in 
1855  it  was  seldom  that  a  herd  often  was  seen  in 
the  same  localities.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the  vast 
herds  first  met  with  could  not  have  been  killed  off 
by  the  hunters  in  that  sparsely-populated  section, 
and  I  was  puzzled  to  know  what  had  become  of 
them.  It  is  possible  they  may  have  moved  off  into 
Mexico ;  they  certainly  are  not  in  our  territory  at 
the  present  time. 

Sportsmen  have  never  been,  and  probably  never 
will  be  unanimous  in  their  opinions  regarding  the 
best  arm  for  deer-hunting.  The  relative  efficiency 
of  the  rifle  and  the  smooth-bored  fowling-piece  has 
been  a  fruitful  theme  for  discussion  among  the  re- 
spective advocates  of  each  for  many  years,  and  some 
very  cogent  arguments  have  been  adduced  in  sup- 
port of  both  sides  of  the  question. 


244  TRAIEIE   TRAVELER. 

In  clrivmg  deer  with  clogs,  where  the  hunter  is 
stationed  upon  a  "  runway,"  and  seldom  has  an  op- 
portunity of  getting  any  other  than  a  running  shot, 
and  this  oftentimes  in  dense  cover,  I  should  un- 
questionably give  the  preference  to  a  large  gauged 
Jhot-gun.  I  should  also  choose  the  same  descrip- 
tion of  gun  to  hunt  deer  on  horseback  in  thick 
cover,  where  the  game  is  lying  down,  and  generally 
springs  up  suddenly  and  is  out  of  sight  before  a 
rifle  could  be  brought  to  bear  with  much  certainty 
upon  it;  but  when  it  comes  to  still-hunting  deer, 
there  is  no  comj)arison,  in  my  judgment,  between 
the  relative  merits  of  the  two  arms. 

Any  one  who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  deer-stalk- 
ing knows  that  it  is  generally  difficult  to  approach 
nearer  to  them  than  about  100  yards;  he  also  will 
be  aware  of  the  fact  that  a  smooth-bored  gun,  even 
when  charged  with  Ely's  T^-ire  buck-shot  cartridges, 
is  a  very  uncertain  weapon  at  greater  distances 
than  about  60  or  VO  yards;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  will  be  equally  apparent  to  him  that  a  good 
rifle,  in  the  hands  of  an  experienced  shot,  is  per- 
fectly reliable  at  all  distances  under  150  yards. 

That  man  who  can  not  kill  a  deer  at  100  yards 
with  a  good  rifle  had  better  throw  it  aside,  take 
the  shot-gun,  and  turn  his  attention  to  smaller 
game,  for  he  certainly  never  will  become  proficient 
as  a  deer-hunter. 

One  of  the  most  conclusive  arguments  I  know  of 
upon  this  subject  is  found  in  the  fact  that  all  our 


THE   DEEK.  245 

frontier  hunters  who  rely  exclusively  uj^on  their 
guns  to  furnish  them  subsistence  use  only  the  rifle, 
and,  indeed,  I  have  never  known  a  very  expert 
deer-stalker  that  would  make  use  of  any  other 
arm. 

The  rifles  that  are  manufactured  in  the  Eastern 
States  are  designed  for  small  game  or  target  j^rac- 
tice,  and  are,  for  the  most  part,  of  small  calibre,  car- 
rying from  about  80  to  100  round  balls  to  the 
pound.  AVhile  it  is  admitted  that  these  missiles, 
when  fired  with  great  accuracy  through  the  vitals 
of  a  deer,  will  bring  him  to  the  ground,  yet  it  is 
contended  that  if  they  only  penetrate  the  fleshy 
parts  of  the  animal,  or  even  23ass  through  the  en- 
trails, they  are  often  insufiicient  to  stop  him ;  Avhere- 
as,  if  a  deer  be  wounded  with  a  large  ball,  he  will 
bleed  much  more  freely,  and  will  sooner  become 
exhausted. 

I  have  always  been  much  more  successful  with  a 
large-calibred  rifle  than  Avith  a  small  one ;  and  I  am 
of  the  opinion  that  a  gauge  admitting  about  32 
round  balls  to  the  pound  is  the  most  efiicient,  not 
only  for  deer-shooting,  but  for  all  the  other  large- 
game  quadrupeds  found  upon  our  continent. 

A  hunting  rifle  should  not  be  shorter  in  the  bar- 
rel than  30  inches  (I  jDrefer  34  inches),  as  this  length 
insures  a  good  line  of  sight,  and  gives  a  desirable 
balance  to  the  gun  when  brought  to  the  shoulder. 
A  shorter  barrel  may  throw  the  ball  with  as  much 
accuracy,  but  it  is  more  easily  thrown  out  of  the 


246  PEAIEIE   TKAVELEE, 

proper  line  of  direction,  and  does  not  allow  suffi- 
cient interval  between  the  front  and  back  sights. 

The  weight  of  metal  in  the  barrel  is  a  considera- 
tion of  importance,  but  will  depend  somewhat  upon 
the  physical  powers  of  the  individual.  A  heavy  bar- 
rel recoils  less  than  a  light  one,  and,  consequently, 
throws  the  projectile  with  more  precision;  but  a 
delicate  man  can  not  carry  a  very  heavy  rifle  upon 
his  shoulder  all  day  without  too  great  a  tax  uj)on 
his  powers  of  endurance.  Some  of  our  stout  and 
hardy  frontiermen,  like  the  Swiss  mountaineers, 
carry  a  rifle  of  twenty  pounds'  weight,  but  this  I 
deem  unnecessarily  large.  A  rifle  w^eighing  entire 
from  10 J  to  12  pounds  is,  in  my  judgment,  heavy 
enough  for  hunting  purposes.  It  does  not  recoil 
perceptibly  when  properly  charged,  and  is  not  cum- 
bersome for  men  of  ordinary  physique. 

A  great  variety  of  complicated  elevating  back- 
sights have  been  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  pub- 
lic within  the  past  few  years,  and  some  of  them  re- 
ceived with  favor  among  military  men.  They  are 
graduated,  and  designed  to  be  elevated  or  depress- 
ed as  the  firing  distance  increases  or  diminishes. 
Theoretically  they  are  correct  in  principle,  and  per- 
haps, for  military  arms,  they  may  be  found  advan- 
tageous when  the  distances  can  be  determined  with 
accuracy ;  but  when  the  enemy  is  manoeuvring,  and 
continually  occupying  difierent  positions,  the  dis- 
tances must,  for  the  most  part,  be  estimated.  Un- 
der such  circumstances,  it  strikes  my  mind  that  but 


THE   DEER.  247 

little,  if  any,  practical  utility  will  be  attained  from 
the  use  of  this  awkward  and  cumbersome  appendage. 

The  open  back-sight  is,  in  my  opinion,  the  only 
one  that  should  ever  be  used  upon  a  hunting-rifle. 
After  it  is  firmly  attached  to  the  gun,  the  point- 
blank  distance  can  be  ascertained  by  experiment, 
and  the  sights  adjusted  to  the  proper  distance.  If 
the  object  is  at  a  greater  or  less  distance,  the  hunt- 
er draws  a  coarser  or  finer  sight,  and  by  practice 
he  will  become  enabled  to  make  this  estimate  with 
a  good  deal  of  accuracy ;  whereas,  if  he  have  the 
elevating  sight  upon  his  rifle,  he  must  stop  to  reg- 
ulate it  to  the  distance  the  game  happens  to  show 
itself  before  he  can  fire,  and  by  the  time  this  is 
done,  unless  the  game  is  more  accommodating  than 
I  have  usually  found  it,  he  will  be  disappointed. 

The  only  objection  I  have  discovered  in  the  use 
of  the  open  sight  is,  that  when  the  sun's  rays  strike 
it  at  particular  angles  it  produces  a  glimmering  in 
the  notch,  which  prevents  drawing  a  fine  sight,  but 
this  difficulty  is,  in  a  great  degree,  overcome  by  a 
very  ingenious  and  simjole  device,  which  originated 
with  one  of  my  Rocky  Mountain  guides.  It  con- 
sists in  having  a  semi-sjDherical  concavity  drilled 
into  the  top  of  the  sight,  with  the  circumference 
tangent  to  the  outer  front  and  rear  edges  of  it. 
The  notches  are  then  cut  so  as  to  be  in  a  vertical 
plane  with  the  axis  of  the  piece  when  the  sight  is 
fixed  in  position.  This  orifice  efiectually  screens 
the  notches  and  prevents  any  glimmering. 


248  PEAIRIE  TRAVELER. 

The  front  sights  upon  the  rifles  found  in  the  shops 
in  Northeastern  States  are  generally  too  short,  and 
our  Western  hunters  always  knock  them  off  and  put 
on  others.  This  sight  should  be  about  an  inch 
long,  and  shaped  according  to  the  opj)osite  dia- 
gram. The  hunters  generally  make  them  of  a  piece 
of  silver  cut  from  the  edge  of  a  half  dollar. 

Twenty  years'  experience  in  deer-hunting  has 
taught  me  several  facts  relative  to  the  habits  of  the 
animal,  which,  when  well  understood,  will  be  found 
of  much  service  to  the  inexperienced  hunter,  and 
greatly  contribute  to  his  success.  The  best  target- 
shots  are  not  necessarily  the  most  skillful  deer- 
stalkers. One  of  the  great  secrets  of  this  art  is  in 
knowing  how  to  approach  the  game  Avithout  giving 
alarm,  and  this  can  not  easily  be  done  imless  the 
hunter  sees  it  before  he  is  himself  discovered. 
There  are  so  many  objects  in  the  woods  resembling 
the  deer  in  color  that  none  but  a  practiced  eye  can 
often  detect  the  difference. 

When  the  deer  is  reposing  he  generally  turns  his 
head  from  the  wind,  in  which  position  he  can  see 
an  enemy  approaching  from  that  direction,  and  his 
nose  will  apprise  him  of  the  presence  of  danger 
from  the  opj)osite  side.  The  best  method  of  hunt- 
ing deer,  therefore,  is  across  the  icmd. 

While  the  deer  are  feeding,  early  in  the  morning 
and  a  short  time  before  dark  in  the  evening  are  the 
best  times  to  stalk  them,  as  they  are  then  busily 


m 

30 

M 
o 

> 


<n 
w 
o 

H 
O 

2 

H 

a: 

CD 

o 

c 


s 

o 

£2 
o 


THE   DEER.  251 

occupied  and  less  on  the  alert.  When  a  deer  is 
espied  with  his  head  down,  cropping  the  grass,  the 
hunter  advances  cautiously,  keeping  his  eyes  con- 
stantly directed  upon  him,  and  screening  himself 
behind  intervening  objects,  or,  in  the  absence  of 
other  cover,  crawls  along  upon  his  hands  and  knees 
in  the  grass,  until  the  deer  hears  his  step  and  raises 
his  head,  when  he  must  instantly  stop  and  remam 
in  an  attitude  fixed  and  motionless  as  a  statue,  for 
the  animal's  vision  is  his  keenest  sense.  When 
alarmed  he  will  detect  the  slightest  movement  of  a 
small  object,  and,  unless  the  hunter  stands  or  lies 
perfectly  still,  his  presence  will  be  detected.  If  the 
hunter  does  not  move,  the  deer  will,  after  a  short 
time,  recover  from  his  alarm  and  resume  his  grazing, 
when  he  may  be  again  approached.  The  deer  al- 
ways exhibits  his  alarm  by  a  sudden  jerking  of  the 
tail  just  before  he  raises  his  head. 

I  once  saw  a  Delaware  Indian  walk  directly  up 
within  rifle  range  of  a  deer  tliat  was  feeding  upon 
the  open  prairie  and  shoot  him  down ;  he  was,  how- 
ever, a  long  time  in  approaching,  and  made  frequent 
halts  whenever  the  animal  flirted  his  tail  and  raised 
his  head.  Although  he  often  turned  toward  the 
hunter,  yet  he  did  not  appear  to  notice  him,  proba- 
bly taking  him  for  a  stump  or  tree. 

When  the  deer  are  lying  doAvn  in  the  smooth 
prairie,  unless  the  grass  is  tall,  it  is  difiicult  to  get 
near  them,  as  they  are  generally  looking  around, 
and  become  alarmed  at  the  least  noise. 


252  PKAIKIE    TKAVELEE. 

The  most  auspicious  season  of  the  year  for  still- 
hunting  deer  in  a  northern  latitude  is  immediately 
after  the  first  light  falls  of  snow  during  the  early 
part  of  winter.  The  game  is  then  "^;^  seaso^i,"  fat, 
well-flavored,  and  the  fawns  sufficiently  grown  to 
take  care  of  themselves. 

When  the  ground  is  covered  with  a  soft  carj^et 
of  three  or  four  inches  of  snow,  the  hunter  passes 
over  it  without  making  much  noise  by  the  crackling 
of  twigs  or  the  rustling  of  leaves  under  his  feet. 

Moccasins  are  preferable  for  this  kind  of  hunting 
to  boots  or  shoes,  especially  m  the  cold  and  dry 
weather,  for  the  reason  that  they  are  more  soft  and 
yielding,  and  do  not  occasion  so  much  noise  by 
crushing  twigs  or  striking  against  hard  substances, 
and  are  therefore  less  liable  to  startle  the  game. 

In  starting  out  at  early  dawn,  after  there  has  been 
a  light  snow  during  the  preceding  night,  the  hunt- 
er may  be  certain,  should  he  encounter  a  track, 
that  it  is  fresh,  and  that  the  animal  is  not  very  far 
distant.  He  then,  in  a  region  where  the  deer  are 
not  very  abundant,  takes  the  trail  and  follows  it ; 
but,  in  doing  this,  he  should  not  keep  his  eyes  con- 
stantly fixed  upon  the  ground,  but  walk  cautiously 
along  near  the  track,  carefully  avoiding  stej^ping 
upon  dry  brush,  or  breaking  off  overhanging  limbs 
of  trees,  and  attentively  scrutinizing  all  the  ground 
in  front  within  rifle  range. 

Where  the  deer  has  been  moving  directly  along, 
without  stopping  to  lie  down  or  wandering  about 


THE    DEER.  253 

to  eat,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  exercise  so  much 
caution,  as  the  animal  will  probably  be  found  some 
distance  in  advance ;  but  whenever  the  track  takes 
a  direction  toward  a  thicket  of  brush,  a  morass  cov- 
ered with  tall  grass  or  rushes,  or,  indeed,  toward 
any  other  place  affording  dense  cover,  where  the 
animal  might  be  likely  to  lie  down,  the  hunter 
should  at  once  leave  the  trail  and  make  a  wide  de- 
tour around  upon  the  lee  side  of  such  covert,  keep- 
ing his  eyes  intently  occupied  in  scrutinizing  every 
object  within  the  area.  After  passing  entirely 
around  the  copse  in  this  manner,  and  arriving  at 
the  point  of  departure,  if  he  has  not  crossed  the 
track  on  the  opposite  side,  he  knows  that  the  deer 
is  within  the  circle  he  has  described,  and  he  then 
makes  sure  that  his  rifle  is  in  good  firing  order ;  and, 
carrying  it  in  such  a  position  that  it  can  be  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  object  in  the  shortest  possible 
time,  he  begins  to  contract  the  circle  by  gradually 
approaching  nearer  the  covert,  and  keenly  search- 
ing every  place  where  it  is  possible  for  the  deer  to 
make  his  bed.  To  insure  success  in  the  execution 
of  this  very  adroit  and  strategic  approach,  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  that  the  hunter  should  move  with 
a  slow  and  regular  gait,  but  on  no  account  stop,  or 
make  any  unusual  demonstration,  until  he  discovers 
the  game  and  is  in  readiness  to  deliver  his  shot,  as, 
in  the  event  of  his  being  very  near  the  deer,  he  will 
oftentimes  jump  up  and  run  at  the  instant  he  makes 
a  halt,  whereas  if  he  moves  steadily  along  with  a 


254  PKAIKIE  TEAVELER. 

measured  step,  as  if  he  intended  to  pass  by,  they 
will  generally  lie  close,  and  sometimes  I  have  even 
seen  them  lower  their  heads  upon  the  ground  to 
hide  from  the  hunter. 

The  antlers  of  the  bucks,  before  they  shed  them, 
can  often  be  seen  over  the  tops  of  the  tall  grass  or 
low  brush  when  they  are  lying  down,  and  the  long 
erect  ears  of  the  does  are  the  first  objects  that  make 
their  appearance  under  the  same  circumstances. 

The  hunter  must  be  careful  not  to  allow  his  eyes 
to  catch  those  of  the  deer  when  he  discovers  him, 
as  I  am  informed  by  a  finished  sportsman  and  an 
experienced  deer-stalker  (although  I  have  never  ob- 
served the  fact  myself)  that  in  such  event  the  ani- 
mal will  instantly  jump  up  and  run. 

During  the  '•'- ru7inmg  season^''  the  bucks  follow 
on  the  trail  of  the  does  in  a  fast  walk  or  slow  trot, 
and,  as  they  are  then  eagerly  occupied  in  the  pur- 
suit of  their  object,  they  are  not  easily  diverted 
from  it.  The  hunter  may  then  fall  in  behind  them 
after  they  pass  him,  and,  following  up  rapidly,  ap- 
proach within  rifle  range  without  difliculty. 

The  "running  season"  in  the  Northern  States 
generally  commences  in  October,  and  lasts  about  a 
month ;  but  in  the  Southern  States  it  is  about  a 
month  later.  During  this  season  the  bucks  run 
themselves  down,  become  poor,  their  necks  swell  to 
an  enormous  size,  andthe  venison  is  then  rank  and 
unfit  for  the  table. 

A  woimded  deer  can  be  followed  without  difii- 


THE    DEER.  255 

culty  upon  the  snow ;  and  if  the  blood  that  flows 
from  tlie  wound  is  of  a  light  red  or  pink  color,  it  is 
a  certain  indication  that  the  animal  has  been  struck 
in  the  vitals,  and  will  not  run  far.  In  the  summer 
season  a  wounded  deer  will  generally  seek  the  wa- 
ter, and,  hiding  under  the  shelving  banks  of  rivers, 
or  in  the  grass  upon  the  borders  of  ponds,  sink  his 
body,  only  keeping  his  head  exposed ;  it  then  be- 
comes necessary  to  search  very  closely  to  discover 
his  hiding-place. 

When  a  deer  has  been  alarmed  by  a  hunter  upon 
his  track,  he  often  runs  a  long  distance  before  he 
recovers  from  his  fright,  and  it  requires  a  long  and 
exhausting  chase  to  come  up  with  him  again ;  even 
then  he  will  be  hkely  to  keep  an  eye  to  the  rear  for 
a  considerable  time,  and  it  will  require  great  cau- 
tion to  approach  within  shooting  distance.  I  have 
always,  under  such  circumstances,  thought  it  better 
to  abandon  the  track  and  look  for  another. 

When  a  deer  has  but  one  leg  broken  he  makes 
good  running,  and  a  man  on  foot  will  find  it  very 
difficult  to  overtake  him  without  a  dog  to  bring  him 
"  to  bay."  I  remember  one  instance  where  I  broke 
both  fore-legs  of  a  doe  just  above  the  knees,  yet, 
notwithstanding  these  severe  wounds,  she  ran  off 
upon  the  stumps  nearly  half  a  mile  before  I  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  her. 

Another  very  successful  method  of  deer-stalking, 
which  is  i^racticed  a  good  deal  in  the  sparsely- 
populated  districts  of  Texas  and  Mexico,  where  the 


256  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

game  is  abundant,  and  accustomed  to  grazing  in 
the  vicinity  of  cattle  and  horses,  is  by  making  use 
of  a  gentle  and  tractable  horse  or  mule,  and  ap- 
proaching as  near  the  deer  as  can  conveniently  be 
done  without  giving  alarm  (about  300  yards) ;  the 
hunter  then  dismounts,  attaches  one  end  of  his 
wiping-stick,  or  other  small  rod,  to  the  bridle-bit 
by  means  of  a  string;  he  then  takes  the  opposite 
end  of  the  rod  in  one  hand,  his  rifle  in  the  other, 
and,  placing  himself  near  the  horse's  shoulder  on 
the  opposite  side  from  the  deer,  so  as  to  be  screened 
from  their  observation  by  the  horse,  he  moves  off 
very  slowly  in  a  direction  not  directly  toward  the 
game,  but  so  as  to  pass  within  the  desirable  rifle 
range,  and  upon  the  lee  side.  With  the  stick  he  is 
enabled  to  guide  his  horse,  stop  him,  or  turn  him 
in  any  direction  he  may  desire.  In  this  manner  he 
proceeds  in  a  slow  walk,  carefully  covering  himself 
behind  the  horse,  and  gradually  bearing  toward  the 
deer. 

During  the  approach  the  deer  will  sometimes 
take  alarm,  raise  their  heads,  and  cast  a  startled 
and  inquiring  look  at  the  horse.  Should  this  occur, 
the  hunter  will  at  once  stop  and  allow  his  horse  to 
crop  the  grass,  while  he  himself  lowers  his  head  so 
as  to  be  entirely  screened  from  the  deer.  As  soon 
as  they  regain  their  composure  and  resume  their 
grazing,  he  proceeds  again,  and  will  generally  be 
able  to  get  within  short  rifle  range,  when  he  can 
stoop  down  and  fire  under  his  horse's  belly  or  neck. 


THE    DEER.  257 

If,  however,  the  stalking-horse  has  not  been  tramed 
to  this  particular  method  of  hunting,  or  is  alarmed 
at  the  report  of  fire-arms,  the  hunter  should  carry 
the  lariat  rope  in  his  hand,  and,  when  he  is  suffi- 
ciently near  the  deer,  drop  the  guiding-stick,  and 
allow  his  horse  to  pass  on,  while  he  remains  upon 
the  ground  behind,  and  places  himself  in  position 
to  fire  at  the  instant  he  is  uncovered  by  the  horse. 
I  have  often  hunted  in  this  way,  and  with  good 
success.  I  observed,  however,  after  a  particular 
herd  had  been  stalked  several  times,  that  they  be- 
came wary,  after  which  it  was  necessary  to  unsad- 
dle before  commencing  the  approach. 

Another  successful,  but  not  very  sportsmanlike 
method  of  deer-stalking  is  resorted  to  by  the  un- 
scrupulous pot-hunters  in  Western  Texas  and  Mex- 
ico, and  which  is  so  entirely  different  from  any 
other  I  have  ever  heard  of  that  it  is  worthy  of  a 
notice  for  its  originality.  It  consists  in  making  use 
of  a  dry  and  stiff  ox-hide,  to  one  end  of  which  a 
rope  is  attached.  A  yoke  of  well-trained  and  gen- 
tle oxen  are  then  hitched  to  the  rope,  and  the  hunt- 
er drives  out  into  the  prairies  where  the  deer  re- 
sort. When  he  discovers  a  herd,  and  has  approach- 
ed as  near  as  can  be  done  without  disturbing  them, 
he  seats  himself  upon  the  hide,  and,  without  speak- 
ing or  making  any  other  noise,  directs  the  team 
with  his  whip  toward  the  game.  During  the  ap- 
proach, he  allows  his  cattle  to  move  slowly,  and  oc- 
casionally to  stop  and  crop  the  grass.  He  is  well 
R 


258  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

screened  by  the  oxen  and  the  pran-ie  grass,  and  will 
find  it  a  very  easy  matter  to  drive  within  short  rifle 
range  without  being  discovered.  After  killing  a 
deer,  he  places  it  upon  his  drag,  and  drives  on  in 
search  of  others. 

The  Indians  are  in  the  habit  of  using  a  small  in- 
strument which  imitates  the  bleat  of  the  young 
fawn,  with  which  they  lure  the  doe  within  range 
of  their  rifles.  The  young  fawn  gives  out  no  scent 
upon  its  track  until  it  is  sufficiently  grown  to  make 
good  running,  and  instinct  teaches  the  mother  that 
this  wise  provision  of  nature  to  preserve  the  help- 
less little  quadruped  from  the  ravages  of  wolves, 
panthers,  and  other  carnivorous  beasts,  will  be  de- 
feated if  she  remains  with  it,  as  her  tracks  can  not 
be  concealed.  She  therefore  hides  her  fawn  in  the 
grass,  where  it  is  almost  impossible  to  see  it,  even 
when  very  near  it,  goes  off*  to  some  neighboring 
thicket  within  call,  and  makes  her  bed  alone.  The 
Indian  pot-hunter,  who  is  but  little  scrupulous  as 
to  the  means  he  employs  in  accomplishing  his  ends, 
sounds  the  bleat  along  near  the  places  where  he 
thinks  the  game  is  lying,  and  the  unsuspicious  doe, 
who  imagines  that  her  offspring  is  in  distress,  rush- 
es with  headlong  impetuosity  toward  the  sound, 
and  often  goes  within  a  few  yards  of  the  hunter  to 
receive  her  death-wound. 

This  is  cruel  sport,  and  can  only  be  justified  when 
meat  is  scarce,  which  is  very  frequently  the  case  in 
the  Indian's  larder. 


THE  DEER.  259 

It  does  not  always  comport  with  a  man's  feelings 
of  security,  especially  if  he  happens  to  be  a  little 
nervous,  to  sound  the  deer-bleat  in  a  wild  region 
of  country.  I  once  undertook  to  experiment  with 
the  instrument  myself,  and  made  my  first  essay  in 
attempting  to  call  u-p  an  antelope  which  I  discov- 
ered in  the  distance.  I  succeeded  admirably  in 
luring  the  wary  victim  within  shooting  range,  had 
raised  upon  my  knees,  and  was  just  in  the  act  of 
pulling  trigger,  when  a  rustling  in  the  grass  on  my 
left  drew  my  attention  in  that  direction,  where, 
much  to  my  surprise,  I  beheld  a  huge  panther  with- 
in about  twenty  yards,  bounding  with  gigantic 
strides  directly  toward  me.  I  turned  my  rifle,  and 
in  an  instant,  much  to  my  relief  and  gratification, 
its  contents  were  lodged  in  the  heart  of  the  beast. 

Many  men,  when  they  suddenly  encounter  a 
deer,  are  seized  with  nervous  excitement,  called  in 
sporting  parlance  the  "  buck  fever^"^  which  causes 
them  to  fire  at  random.  Notwithstanding  I  have 
had  much  experience  in  hunting,  I  must  confess 
that  I  am  never  entirely  free  from  some  of  the 
symptoms  of  this  malady  when  firing  at  large 
game,  and  I  believe  that  in  four  out  of  five  cases 
where  I  have  missed  the  game  my  balls  have  pass- 
ed too  high.  I  have  endeavored  to  obviate  this  by 
sighting  my  rifle  low,  and  it  has  been  attended  with 
more  successful  results.  The  same  remarks  apply 
to  most  other  men  I  have  met  with.  They  fire  too 
high  when  excited. 


260  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

THE  ANTELOPE. 
This  animal  frequents  the  most  elevated,  bleak, 
and  naked  prairies  in  all  latitudes  from  Mexico  to 
Oregon,  and  constitutes  an  important  item  of  sub- 
sistence with  many  of  the  Prairie  Indians.  It  is  the 
most  wary,  timid,  and  fleet  animal  that  inhabits  the 
Plains.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  deer,  with  a 
heavy  coating  of  coarse,  wiry  hair,  and  its  flesh  is 
more  tender  and  juicy  than  that  of  the  deer.  It 
seldom  enters  a  timbered  country,  but  seems  to  de- 
light in  cropping  the  grass  from  the  elevated  swells 
of  the  prairies.  When  disturbed  by  the  traveler,  it 
will  circle  around  him  with  the  speed  of  the  wind, 
but  does  not  stop  until  it  reaches  some  prominent 
position  whence  it  can  survey  the  country  on  all 
sides,  and  nothing  seems  to  escape  its  keen  vision. 
They  will  sometimes  stand  for  a  long  time  and  look 
at  a  man,  provided  he  does  not  move  or  go  out  of 
sight ;  but  if  he  goes  behind  a  hill  with  the  inten- 
tion of  passing  around  and  getting  nearer  to  them, 
he  Avill  never  find  them  again  in  the  same  place.  I 
have  often  tried  the  experiment,  and  invariably 
found  that,  as  soon  as  I  went  where  the  antelope 
could  not  see  me,  he  moved  off*.  Their  sense  of 
hearing,  as  well  as  vision,  is  very  acute,  which  ren- 
ders it  difficult  to  stalk  them.  By  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  cover  afforded  in  broken  ground,  the 
hunter  may,  by  moving  slowly  and  cautiously  over 
the  crests  of  the  irregularities  in  the  surface,  some- 
times approach  within  rifle  range. 


ii'''fcWi 


lilli; 
Jl!:!l;,. 


II 


V[;i|i'' 


THE   BEAK.  2 03 

The  antelope  possesses  a  greater  degree  of  curi- 
osity than  any  other  animal  I  know  of,  and  will 
often  approach  very  near  a  strange  object.  The 
experienced  hunter,  taking  advantage  of  this  pecul- 
iarity, lies  down  and  secretes  himself  in  the  grass, 
after  which  he  raises  his  handkerchief,  hand,  or  foot, 
so  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  animal,  and  thus 
often  succeeds  in  beguiling  him  within  shooting 
distance. 

In  some  valleys  near  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where 
the  pasturage  is  good  during  the  winter  season, 
they  collect  in  immense  herds.  The  Indians  are  in 
the  habit  of  surrounding  them  in  such  localities  and 
running  them  with  their  horses  until  they  tire  them 
out,  when  they  slay  large  numbers. 

The  antelope  makes  a  track  much  shorter  than 
the  deer,  very  broad  and  round  at  the  heel,  and 
quite  sharp  at  the  toe;  a  little  experience  renders 
it  easy  to  distinguish  them. 

THE  BEAR. 

Besides  the  common  black  bear  of  the  Eastern 
States,  several  others  are  found  iu  the  mountains 
of  California,  Oregon,  Utah,  and  New  Mexico,  viz., 
the  grizzly,  brown,  and  cinnamon  varieties ;  all  have 
nearly  the  same  habits,  and  are  hunted  in  the  same 
manner. 

From  all  I  had  heard  of  the  grizzly  bear,  I  was 
induced  to  believe  him  one  of  the  most  formidable 
and  savage  animals  in  the  universe,  and  that  the 


264  PEAIKIE   TKAVELEK. 

man  who  would  deliberately  encounter  and  kill  one 
of  these  beasts  had  performed  a  signal  feat  of  cour- 
age which  entitled  him  to  a  lofty  position  among 
the  votaries  of  Nimrod.  So  firmly  had  I  become 
impressed  with  this  conviction,  that  I  should  have 
been  very  reluctant  to  fire  upon  one  had  I  met  him 
when  alone  and  on  foot.  The  grizzly  bear  is  assured- 
ly the  monarch  of  the  American  forests,  and,  so  far 
as  physical  strength  is  concerned,  he  is,  perhaps, 
without  a  rival  in  the  world ;  but,  after  some  expe- 
rience in  hunting,  my  opinions  regarding  his  cour- 
age and  his  willingness  to  attack  men  have  very 
materially  changed. 

In  passing  over  the  elevated  table-lands  lying  be- 
tween the  two  forks  of  the  Platte  River  in  1858, 1 
encountered  a  full-grown  female  grizzly  bear,  with 
two  cubs,  very  quietly  reposing  upon  the  open  prai- 
rie, several  miles  distant  from  any  timber.  This 
being  the  first  opportunity  that  had  ever  occurred 
to  me  for  an  encounter  w4th  the  ursine  monster, 
and  being  imbued  with  the  most  exalted  notions  of 
the  beast's  proclivities  for  offensive  warfare,  espe- 
cially when  in  the  presence  of  her  offspring,  it  may 
very  justly  be  imagined  that  I  was  rather  more  ex- 
cited than  usual.  I,  however,  determined  to  make 
the  assault.  I  felt  the  utmost  confidence  in  my 
horse,  as  she  was  afraid  of  nothing ;  and,  after  ar- 
ranging every  thing  about  my  saddle  and  arms  in 
good  order,  I  advanced  to  Avithin  about  eighty 
yards  before  I  was  discovered  by  the  bear,  when 


THE   BEAK.  265 

she  raised  upon  her  haunches  and  gave  me  a  scru- 
tmizing  examination.  I  seized  this  ojoportune  mo- 
ment to  fire,  but  missed  my  aim,  and  she  started  oif, 
followed  by  her  cubs  at  their  utmost  speed.  After 
reloading  my  rifle,  I  pursued,  and,  on  coming  again 
within  range,  delivered  another  shot,  which  struck 
the  large  bear  in  the  fleshy  part  of  the  thigh,  where- 
upon she  set  up  a  most  distressing  howl  and  accel- 
erated her  pace,  leaving  her  cubs  behind.  After 
loading  again  I  gave  the  spurs  to  my  horse  and  re- 
sumed the  chase,  soon  passing  the  cubs,  who  were 
making  the  most  plaintive  cries  of  distress.  They 
were  heard  by  the  dam,  but  she  gave  no  other  heed 
to  them  than  occasionally  to  halt  for  an  instant,  turn 
around,  sit  up  on  her  posteriors,  and  give  a  hasty 
look  back;  but,  as  soon  as  she  saw  me  following 
her,  she  invariably  turned  again  and  redoubled  her 
speed.  I  pursued  about  four  miles  and  fired  four 
balls  into  her  before  I  succeeded  in  bringing  her  to 
the  ground,  and  from  the  time  I  first  saw  her  until 
her  death-wound,  notwithstanding  I  was  often  very 
close  upon  her  heels,  she  never  came  to  bay  or  made 
the  slightest  demonstration  of  resistance.  Her  sole 
purpose  seemed  to  be  to  make  her  escape,  leaving 
her  cubs  in  the  most  cowardly  manner. 

Upon  three  other  different  occasions  I  met  the 
mountain  bears,  and  once  the  cinnamon  species, 
which  is  called  the  most  formidable  of  all,  and  in 
none  of  these  instances  did  they  exhibit  the  slight- 
est indication  of  anger  or  resistance,  but  invariably 
ran  from  me. 


266  PBAIRIE   TBAVELEli. 

Such  is  my  experience  with  this  formidable  mon- 
arch of  the  mountains.  It  is  possible  that  if  a  man 
came  suddenly  upon  the  beast  in  a  thicket,  where  it 
could  have  no  previous  warning,  he  might  be  at- 
tacked ;  but  it  is  my  opinion  that  if  the  bear  gets 
the  loind  or  sight  of  a  man  at  any  considerable  dis- 
tance, it  will  endeavor  to  get  away  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. I  am  so  fully  impressed  with  this  idea  that  I 
shall  hereafter  hunt  bear  with  a  feeling  of  as  much 
security  as  I  would  have  in  hunting  the  buffalo. 

The  grizzly,  like  the  black  bear,  hybernates  in 
winter,  and  makes  his  appearance  in  the  spring 
with  his  claws  grown  out  long  and  very  soft  and 
tender ;  he  is  then  poor,  and  unfit  for  food. 

I  have  heard  a  very  curious  fact  stated  by  sev- 
eral old  mountaineers  regarding  the  mountain  bears, 
which,  of  course,  I  can  not  vouch  for,  but  it  is  given 
by  them  with  great  apparent  sincerity  and  candor. 
They  assert  that  no  instance  has  ever  been  knoAvn 
of  a  female  bear  having  been  killed  in  a  state  of 
pregnancy.  This  singular  fact  in  the  history  of  the 
animal  seems  most  inexplicable  to  me,  unless  she 
remain  concealed  in  her  brumal  slumber  until  after 
she  has  been  delivered  of  her  cubs. 

I  was  told  by  an  old  Delaware  Indian  that  when 
the  bear  has  been  traveling  against  the  wind  and 
wishes  to  lie  down,  he  always  turns  in  an  oj^posite 
direction,  and  goes  some  distance  away  from  his 
first  track  before  making  his  bed.  If  an  enemy 
then  comes  upon  his  trail,  his  keen  sense  of  smell 
will  apprise  him  of  the  danger.     The  same  Indian 


THE    BEAR.  267 

mentioned  that  when  a  bear  had  been  pursued  and 
sought  shelter  in  a  cave,  he  had  often  endeavored 
to  eject  him  with  smoke,  but  that  the  bear  would 
advance  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  where  the  fire 
was  burning,  and  put  it  out  with  his  j^aws,  then 
retreat  into  the  cave  again.  This  would  indicate 
that  Bruin  is  endowed  with  some  glimpses  of  reason 
beyond  the  ordinary  instincts  of  the  brute  creation 
in  general,  and,  indeed,  is  capable  of  discerning  the 
connection  between  cause  and  effect.  Notwith- 
standing the  extraordinary  intelligence  which  this 
quadruped  exhibits  upon  some  occasions,  upon  oth- 
ers he  shows  himself  to  be  one  of  the  most  stupid 
brutes  imaginable.  For  example,  when  he  has 
taken  possession  of  a  cavern,  and  the  courageous 
hunter  enters  with  a  torch  and  rifle,  it  is  said  he 
will,  instead  of  forcibly  ejecting  the  intruder,  raise 
himself  upon  his  haunches  and  cover  his  eyes  with 
his  paws,  so  as  to  exclude  the  light,  apparently 
thinking  that  in  this  situation  he  can  not  be  seen. 
The  hunter  can  then  approach  as  close  as  he  pleases 
and  shoot  him  down. 

THE  BIG-HORN. 

The  big-horn  or  mountain  sheep,  which  has  a 
body  like  the  deer,  with  the  liead  of  a  sheep,  sur- 
mounted by  an  enormous  pair  of  short,  heavy  horns, 
is  found  throughout  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  re- 
sorts to  the  most  inaccessible  peaks  and  to  the  wild- 
est and  least-frequented  glens.  It  clambers  over 
almost  perpendicular  cliffs  with  the  greatest  ease 


268  PRAIRIE   TRAVELER. 

and  celerity,  and  skips  from  rock  to  rock,  cropping 
the  tender  herbage  that  grows  upon  them. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  this  animal 
leaps  down  from  crag  to  crag,  lighting  upon  his 
horns,  as  an  evidence  of  which  it  has  been  advanced 
that  the  front  part  of  the  horns  is  often  much  bat- 
tered. This  I  believe  to  be  erroneous,  as  it  is  very 
common  to  see  horns  that  have  no  bruises  upon 
them. 

The  old  mountaineers  say  they  have  often  seen 
the  bucks  engaged  in  desperate  encounters  Avitli 
their  huge  horns,  which,  in  striking  together,  made 
loud  reports.  This  will  account  for  the  marks 
sometimes  seen  upon  them. 

The  flesh  of  the  big-horn,  when  fat,  is  more  ten- 
der, juicy,  and  delicious  than  that  of  any  other  an- 
imal I  know  of,  but  it  is  a  bonne  boiiche  which  will 
not  grace  the  tables  of  our  city  epicures  until  a  rail- 
road to  the  Rocky  Mountains  aflbrds  the  means  of 
transporting  it  to  a  market  a  thousand  miles  dis- 
tant from  its  haunts. 

In  its  habits  the  mountain  sheep  greatly  resem- 
bles the  chamois  of  Switzerland,  and  it  is  hunted  in 
the  same  manner.  The  hunter  traverses  the  most 
inaccessible  and  broken  localities,  moving  along 
with  great  caution,  as  the  least  unusual  noise  causes 
them  to  flit  away  like  a  phantom,  and  they  will  be 
seen  no  more.  The  animal  is  gregarious,  but  it  is 
seldom  that  more  than  eight  or  ten  are  found  in  a 
flock.  "When  not  grazing  they  seek  the  sheltered 
sides  of  the  mountains,  and  repose  among  the  rocks 


ITINERARIES. 


i^i!l'i''i'''W''^Hi|l'M 


LIST  OF  ITINERARIES: 

SHOWING  THE  DISTANCES  BETWEEN  CAMPING-PLACES,  THE  CHAEACTEE  OF 
THE  EOADS,  ANI>  THE  FACILITIES  FOE  OBTAINING  WOOD,  WATEK,  AND 
GKASS  ON  THE  PRINCIPAL  E0UTE3  BETWEEN  THE  MISSISSIPPI  BIVEE  AND 
THE  PACIFIC   OCEAN. 


No.  Pago 

I.  From  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  Santa  F6  and  Albuquerque, 

NeiT  Mexico.     By  Captain  It.  B.  Marcy,  U.  S.  A,  271 

II.  From  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Santa  Fe,  by  the  way  of  the  upper 

ferry  of  the  Kansas  Kiver  and  the  Cimarron 2T3 

III.  Camping-places  upon  a  road  discovered  and  marked  out  fi'om 

Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  Dona  Ana  and  El  Paso,  New  Mex- 
ico, in  1849.     By  Captain  E.  B.  Marcy,  U.  S.  A 279 

IV.  From  Leavenworth  City  to  Great  Salt  Lake  City 282 

V.  From  Salt  Lake  City  to  Sacramento  and  Benicia,  California. .  289 

VI.  From  Great  Salt  Lake  City  to  Los  Angeles  and  San  Frailo'isco, 

California 293 

VII.  From  Fort  Bridger  to  the  "City  of  Rocks."     From  Captain 

Hancock's  Journal 295 

VIII.  From  Soda  Springs  to  the  City  of  Eocks,  known  as  Hudspeth's 

Cut-off 298 

IX.  Sublette's  Cut-off,  from  Salt  Lake  City  Eoad,  west  of  South 

Pass,  to  Bear  Eiver 293 

X.  From  Lawson's  Meadows,  on  the  Humboldt  Eiver,  to  Fort 
Eeading,  via  Eogue  Eiver  Valley,  Fort  Lane,  Oregon  Terri- 
tory, Yreka,  and  Fort  Jones 299 

XI.  From  Soda  Springs  to  Fort  Wallah  Wallah  and  Oregon  City, 

Oregon,  via  Fort  Hall 301 

XII.  Route  for  pack  trains  from  John  Day's  Eiver  to  Oregon  City. .  304 

XIII.  From  Indianola  and  Powder-horn  to  San  Antonio,  Texas, . . .  304 

XIV,  Wagon-road  from  San  Antonio,  Texas,  to  El  Paso,  N.  M.,  and 

Fort  Yuma,  California '. 305 

XV.  From  Fort  Yuma  to  San  Diego,  California 308 

XVI.  From  El  Paso,  New  Mexico,  to  Fort  Y^uma,  California,  via 

Santa  Cruz 310 

XVn.  From  Westport,  Missouri,  to  the  gold  diggings  at  Pike's  Peak 

and  "  Cherry  Creek,"  N.  T.,  via  the  Arkansas  Eiver 311 

XVIIL  From  St.  Paul's,  Min.,  to  Fort  Wallah  Wallah,  Oregon 318 

XIX.  Lieutenant  E.  F,  Beale's  route  from  Albuquerque  to  the  Colo- 
rado Eiver 323 

XX.  Captain  Whipple's  route  from  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico,  to 

San  Pedro,  California 324 


272  LIST   OF   ITINERAEIES. 

No.  Page 

XXI,  From  Fort  Yuma  to  Benicia,  California.     From  Lieutenant 

E.  S  .Williamson's  Report 831 

XXII.  A  new  route  from  Fort  Bridger  to  Camp  Floyd,  opened  by 

Captain  J.  H.  Simpson,  U.  IS.  A.,  in  1S5S 333 

XXIII.  From  Fort  Thorne,  New  Mexico,  to  Fort  Yuma,  California. .  334 

XXIV.  Lieutenant  Bryan's  Route  from  the  Laramie  Crossing  of  the 

South  riatte  to  Fort  Bridger,  via  Bridger' s  Pass 336 

XXV.  Wagon  -  route  from  Denver  City,  at  the  Mouth  of  Cherry 

Creek,  to  Fort  Bridger,  Utah 339 

XXVI.  From  Nebraska  City,  on  the  Missouri,  to  Fort  Kearney ....  342 
XXVII.  From  Camp  Floyd,  Utah,  to  Fort  Union,  New  Mexico.     By 

Colonel  W.W.  Loring,  U.  S.  A • 343 

XXVni.  Wagon-route  from  Guaymas,  Sonora,  Mexico,  to  Tubac,  Ari- 
zona.    From  Captain  Stone's  Journal 349 

XXIX.  Eoad  from  City  of  Rocks  to  Honey  Lake  Valley.     Extracts 

from  F.  W.  Lander's  Report. 350 

XXX.  Itinerary  of  F.  W.  Lander's  Road  from  East  Crossing  of 

Sweet-water,  on  Salt  Lake  Road,  to  City  of  Rocks 352 

XXXI.  Field-notes  of  the  Location  of  the  Fort  Ridgely  and  South 
Pass  Wagon-road,  from  the  Missouri  River  to  Fort  Ridge- 
ley  ;  Samuel  A.  Medary,  Engineer 357 

XXXII.  Road  from  Camp  Floyd,  Utah,  to  Los  Angeles,  California. 

From  Major  F.  J.  Porter's  Itinerary 362 

XXXIII.  Itinerary  of  the  more  southern  Wagon-route  of  Captain  J. 

H.  Simpson,  Topographical  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  from  Camp 
Floyd,  U.  T.,  to  Genoa,  in  Carson  Valley,  through  the 
Great  Salt  Lake  Basin,  explored  by  him  in  1S50,  under  in- 
structions from  Gen.  A.  S.  Johnston,  commanding  the  De- 
partment of  Utah 368 

XXXIV.  Itinerary  of  the  more  northern  Wagon-route  of  Captain  J. 

H.  Simpson,  from  Camp  Floyd  to  junction  with  the  more 
southern  route  to  Genoa,  in  Carson  Valley,  Utah  Territo- 
ry. This  is  the  present  California  Mail  and  Pony  Exjiress 
Route 372 


FORT   SMITH   TO   ALBUQUEEQUE.  273 

I. — Fi'om  Fort  Smithy  Ar7ca7isaSy  to  Santa  Fe  and 
Albuquerque^  New  3Iexico.  By  Captain  R.  B. 
Maecy,  U.  S.  a. 

Miles. 

Fort  Smith  to 
15.  Strickland's  Farm. — The  road  crosses  the  Poteau  River 
at  Fort  Smith,  where  there  is  a  feny ;  it  then  follows 
the  Poteau  bottom  for  ten  miles.  This  part  of  the  road 
is  very  muddy  after  heavy  rains.  At  14  miles  it  passes 
the  Choctaw  Agency,  where  there  are  several  stores. 
There  is  the  greatest  abundance  of  wood,  water,  and 
grass  at  all  camps  for  the  first  200  miles.  Where  any 
of  these  are  wanting  it  will  be  specially  mentioned. 
The  road  passes  through  the  Choctaw  settlements  for 
about  150  miles,  and  com  and  supplies  can  be  purchased 
from  these  Indians  at  reasonable  rates. 

11.  Camp  Creek. — Road  crosses  a  prairie  of  three  miles  in 

length,  then  enters  a  heavy  forest.  The  camp  is  on  a 
small  branch,  with  grass  plenty  in  a  small  prairie  about 
400  yards  to  the  left  of  the  road. 

12.  Coon  Creek. — Road  passes  through  the  timber,  and  is 

muddy  in  a  rainy  season. 
12.  Sans  Bois  Creek. — Prairie  near ;  some  Choctaw  houses 
at  the  crossing. 

14.  Bend  of  Sans  Bois  Creek. — Indian  farm. 

15.  South  Fork  of  Canadian,  or  ' '  Gain's  Creek." — Road  trav- 

erses a  very  rough  and  hilly  region.  There  is  a  ford 
and  a  ferry  upon  the  creek.  Indian  farm  on  the  west 
bank. 
12.  First  ford  of  Coal  Creek. — Road  crosses  over  a  rolling 
prairie,  and  at  four  miles  the  Fort  Washita  road  turns 
to  the  left. 
Second  ford  of  Coal  Creek. — Indian  farm. 

4.  Little  Cedar  Mountain. — Very  rough,  mountainous  road. 
6.  Stony  Point. — Very  rough,  mountainous  road. 

5.  Shawnee  Village. — Several  Indian  houses. 

14.  Shawnee  Town. — Road  passes  several  small  prairies.  In- 
dian settlement ;  store  on  opposite  bank  of  Canadian 
River,  near  the  camp. 

21.  Delaware  Mountain. — Road  passes  over  a  very  beautiful 
country,  with  small  streams  of  good  water  frequent,  and 
good  camps.  It  crosses  small  prairies  and  groves  of 
timber. 


274  FOET   SMITH    TO    ALBUQUEKQtJE. 

Miles. 
5.  Boggy  River. — ^Road  passes  a  country  similar  to  that  men- 
tioned above. 
3.  Clear  Creek. — Road  turns  to  the  right  near  a  prominent 
round    mound.      Beautiful    country,  diversified    with 
prairies  and  timbered  lands. 
7.  Branch  of  Topofki  Creek. — Beautiful  country  and  fine 
roads. 
9i.  Cane  Creek. — Excellent  camp. 
5.   Small  Branch. — Road  passes  about  two  miles  from  the 
old  "Camp  Arbuckle,"   built  by  Captain '  Marcy   in 
1853,  since  occupied  by  Black  Beaver  and  several  Del- 
aware families. 
m.  Mustang  Creek. — Road  runs  on  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
tween the  waters  of  the  Washita  and  Canadian,  on  a 
high  prairie. 
17^.   Choteau's  Creek. — Road  passes  on  the  high  prairie  oppo- 
site Choteau's  old  trading-house,  and  leaves  the  outer 
limits  of  the  Indian  settlements.     Excellent  road,  and 
good  camps  at  short  distances, 
llf.  Choteau's  Creek.— Road  runs  up  the  creek;  is  smooth 

and  good. 
12i.  Head  of  Choteau's  Creek.— Road  runs  up  the  creek,  and 

is  good. 
17i.  Branch  of  Washita  River. — Road  runs  over  an  elevated 
prairie  country,  and  passes  a  small  branch  at  six  miles 
from  last  camp. 
5f.  Branch  of  "  Spring  Creek." — Good  camp. 
16.  Head  of  "  Spring  Creek." — Road  traverses  a  high  prairie 

country,  is  smooth  and  firm. 
13.  Red  Mounds.— Road  runs  over   a  high  rolling  prairie 
country,  and  is  excellent. 
5.  Branch  of  Washita  River.— Good  road. 
15J.  Branch  of  Canadian.— Road  continues  on  the  ridge  di- 
viding the  Washita  and  Canadian  rivers;   is  smooth 
and  firm. 
171^.  Branch  of  Washita  River.— Road  continues  on  the  "di- 
vide." 

18.  Branch  of  Canadian.  —  Road  continues   on  the  divide 

from  one  to  four  miles  from  the  Canadian. 

19.  On  Canadian  River. — Good  road. 

16.  Little   Washita   River.— Good   road;    timber   becoming 

scarce, 
13.   Branch  of  Canadian.— Good  road. 


FORT   SMITH   TO   ALBUQUERQUE.  275 


Miles. 

17i.  Antelope  Buttes. — Koad  runs  along  the  Canadian  bottom, 

and  in  places  is  sandy. 
14.  Eush  Lake.— Small  pond  on  the  prairie.     No  wood  witli- 

in  half  a  mile  ;  some  buffalo  chips ;  poor  water. 

16.  Branch  of  Washita  River. — Good  road  on  the  divide. 
lOi.  Dry  Kiver. — Road  descends  a  very  long  hill,  and  crosses 

the  dry  river  near  the  Canadian.  Water  can  be  found 
by  digging  about  a  foot  in  the  sand  of  the  creek.  Good 
grass  on  the  west  bank. 

17.  Branch  of  Canadian. — Road  winds  up  a  very  long  and 

abrupt  hill,  but  is  smooth  and  firm. 

22^.  Timbered  Creek. — Road  passes  over  a  very  elevated  prai- 
rie countiy,  and  descends  by  a  long  hill  into  the  beau- 
tiful valley  of  Timbered  Creek. 

Hi.  Spring  Branch. — Good  camp. 

14.  Spring  Branch. — Good  camp. 

17|.  Branch  of  Canadian. — Road  passes  a  small  branch  3^ 

miles  from  the  last  camp. 
181 .  Branch  of  Canadian.— Road  passes  a  small  branch  of  the 

Canadian  at  8  miles  from  the  last  camp. 
I7i.  Spring  Branch. — Good  road. 
9i.  Branch  of  Canadian. — Good  road  and  camp. 
181^.  Branch  of  the  Canadian. — Good  road  and  camp. 
lOi.  Pools  of  Water. — Good  camp. 
10.  Large  Pond. — Good  camp. 
25.  Pools  of  Water. — No  wood  ;  water  brackish.     The  road 

passes  over  a  very  elevated  and  dry  country,  without 

wood  or  water. 
182^.  Head  of  Branch. — At  13^  miles  the  road  crosses  a  branch 

of  the  Canadian. 
19|.  Laguna  Colorado. — Road  here  falls  into  an  old  Mexican 

cart-road.     Good  springs  on  the  left  up  the  creek,  with 

wood  and  grass  abundant. 
7.  Pools  of  Water. — Road  runs  through  cedars. 
lOf.  Pajarito  Creek. — Grass  begins  to  be  rather  short  in  places, 

but  is  abundant  on  the  creek. 
131-.  Gallenas  Creek. — Good  camp. 

15.  2d  Gallenas  Creek. — Good  road. 

16i.  Pecos  River  at  Anton  Chico. — This  is  the  first  settlement 

after  leaving  Camp  Arbuckle.     Corn  and  vegetables 

can    be   purchased  here.      Grass    is    generally   short 

here. 

15.  Pecos  River  opposite  Questa. — Road  runs  through  the 


276  FORT  LEAVEif WORTH   TO   SANTA  FE. 

Miles. 

cedar,  and  is  firm  and  good.     Camp  is  in  sight  of  the 
town  of  Questa,  upon  a  very  elevated  bluft". 

21f.  Laguna  Colorado. — Road  passes  through  a  wooded  coun- 
try for  a  portion  of  the  distance,  but  leaves  it  before 
reaching  camp,  where  there  is  no  wood,  but  water  gen- 
erally sufficient  for  trains.  In  very  dry  seasons  it  has 
been  knoAvn  to  fail.  The  road  forks  here,  the  right 
leading  to  Santa  Fe  via  Galistio  (45 1^  miles),  and  the 
left  to  Albuquerque. 

221^.  San  Antonio. — Good  road. 

18|.  Albuquerque. — Good  road. 

Total  distance  from  Fort  Smith  to  Albuquerque,  814i  miles. 
Total  distance  from  Fort  Smith  to  Santa  Fe,  819  miles. 


II. — From  Fort  Leavenworth  to  /Santa  Fe,  hy  the 
loay  of  the  tqyper  ferry  of  the  Kansas  Biver  a7id 
the  Cimarron. 

[In  this  table  the  distances,  taken  by  an  odometer,  are  given  in  miles  and 
luindredths  of  a  mile.  The  measured  distances  between  the  crossing  of 
the  Arkansas  and  Santa  Fe  are  from  Major  Kendrick's  published  table. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  are  found  at  all  points  where  the  absence  of  them 
is  not  stated.] 

Milea. 

From  Fort  Leavenworth  to 

2.88.  Salt  Creek. 

9.59.  Stranger's  Creek. 
13.54.  " 

9.60.  Grasshopper  Creek. 
6.50.  " 
2.86.                     " 

2.60.  " 

4.54.  Soldier's  Creek. 

2.45.  Upper  Ferry,  Kansas  River. 

7.41.  Pottawatomie  Settlement. 

5.75.  Pottawatomie  Creek. 

3.89.  White  Wakarussi  Creek. 
7.78.  "  " 
6.27.               "                     " 

0.73.  Road  from  Independence. — "No  place  to  encamp. 
5.72.  White  Wakarussi  Creek. 


FOET  LEAVENWORTH  TO  SANTA  FE.     277 


Mile?. 
2.51.  White  Wakarussi  Creek. 

2.82.  142-mile  Creek. 
7.80.  Bluff  Creek. 
5.77.  Eock  Creek. 
5.08.  Big  John  Spring. 
2.29.  Council  Grove. 

7.97.  Elm  Creek. — Water  generallj. 

8.06.  Diamond  Spring. 

1.42.  Diamond  Creek. 
15.46.  Lost  Spring. — No  wood. 

9.25.  Mud  Creek. — Water  uncertain;  no  wood. 

7.76.  Cottonwood  Creek. 

6.16.  Water  Holes. — Water  generally ;  no  wood. 
12.44.  Big  Turkey  Creek. — No  water. 

7.83.  Little  Turkey  Creek. — Water  uncertain;  no  wood. 
18.19.  Little  Arkansas  River. 

10.60.  Owl  Creek. — Water  generally  in  holes  above  and  be- 
low crossing. 
6.39.  Little  Cow  Creek. — Water  only  occasionally. 
2.93.  Big  Cow  Creek. — Water  holes,  10  miles  (estimated). 
Water  uncertain  ;  no  wood. 
18.24.  Bend  of  the  Arkansas. 
^6.66.  Walnut  Creek. 
16.35.  Pawnee  Rock. — Teams  sometimes  camp  near  here,  and 

drive  stock  to  the  Arkansas  to  water.     No  wood. 
5.28.  Ash  Creek. — Water  above  and  below  crossing,  uncer- 
tain. 
6.65.  Pawnee  Fork. — Best  grass  some  distance  above  cross- 
ing. 
From  Pawnee  Fork  to  the  lower  crossing  of  the  Ar- 
kansas, a  distance  of  98^  miles,  convenient  camping- 
places  can  be  found  along  the  Arkansas ;  the  most 
prominent  localities  are  therefore  only  mentioned. 
A  supply  of  fuel  should  be  laid  in  at  Pawnee  Fork  to 
last  till  you  pass  Fort  Mann,  though  it  may  be  ob- 
tained, but  inconveniently,  from  the  opposite  side  of 
the  Arkansas.     Dry  Route  branches  off  at  3^^  miles 
(estimated).     This  route  joins  the  main  one  again  10 
miles  this  side  of  Fort  Mann.     It  is  said  to  be  a  good 
one,  but  deficient  in  water  and  without  wood. 
11.43.   Coon  Creek. 
46.58.  Jackson's  Island. 
5.01.  Dry  Route  comes  in. 


278     FOET  LEAVENWORTH  TO  SANTA  FE. 

MUea, 

10.05.  Fort  Mann. 

25.34:.  Lower  Crossing   of  the  Arkansas. — The  Bent's  Fort 

Route  branches  off  at  this  point.     For  the  distances 

upon  this  route,  see  next  table.     A  supply  of  wood 

should  be  got  from  this  vicinity  to  last  till  you  reach 

Cedar  Creek. 
15.08.  Water-hole. — Water  uncertain ;   no  wood. 
30.02.  Two  Water-holes. — Water  uncertain ;  no  wood. 
14.14.  Lower  Cimarron  Springs. — No  wood. 
20.00.  Pools  of  Water. — Water  uncertain  ;  no  wood.' 
19.02.  Middle  Springs  of  the  Cimarron. — No  wood. 
12.93.  Little  Crossing  of  the  Cimarron. — No  wood. 
14.10.  Upper  Cimarron  Springs. — No  wood.     Pools  of  water, 

7  miles  (estimated).     No  wood. 
19.05.   Cold  Spring. — A  tree  here  and  there  in  the  vicinity. 

Pools  of  water,  1 1  miles  (estimated).     Water  uncer- 
tain ;  no  wood. 
16.13.  Cedar  Creek.— M'Nees'  Creek,  10  miles  (estimated). 

Water  indifferent  and  uncertain  ;  scant  pasture  ;  no 

wood.      Arroyo  del  la   Sena,  2^  miles  (estimated). 

No  water. 
21.99.  Cottonwood  Creek. — No  water.      Arroyo  del  Burro,  5 

miles  (estimated). 
15.17.   Rabbit-ear    Creek. — 10    miles    (estimated),   springs. 

Round  Mound,  8  miles  (estimated).     No  water ;  no 

wood;    no  camping-place.      Rock  Creek,  10  miles 

(estimated).     Grazing  scant ;  no  wood. 
26.40.  Whetstone  Creek. — Spring;    no  wood.     Arroyo  Don 

Carlos,  10^  miles  (estimated).     Water,  etc.,  to  the 

left  of  the  road. 
14.13.  Point  of  Rocks. — Water  and  grass  np  the  canon,  just 

after  crossing  the  point ;  scattering  shrub  cedars  on 

the  neighboring  heights. 
16.02.   Sandy  Arroyo. — Water  uncertain  ;  no  wood.     Crossing 

of  Canadian  River,  4f  miles  (estimated).     Grazing 

above  the  crossing  ;  willows. 
10.05.  Rio  Ocate. — Wood  ^  of  a  mile  to  right  of  road;  grass 

in  the  cafion.     Pond  of  water,  13^  miles  (estimated). 

No  wood. 
19.65.  Wagon  Mound. — Santa  Clara  Springs.    Wood  brought 

from  the  Rio  Ocate.     Rio  del  Perro  (Rock  Creek), 

17^  miles  (estimated). 
21.62.  Canon   del  Lobe. — Rio   Moro,  3^   miles  (estimated). 


¥OET   SINHTII   TO    DONA   ANA    AND   EL   PASO. 


279 


^^^''         Kio  Sapillo,  1  mile  (estimated).     The  Bent's  Fort 

Route  comes  in  here. 
18.00.  LasVegas.— Forage  purchasable. 
13  05.  Tacolote.— Forage  purchasable.     Ojo  Vernal,  5  miles 

(estimated).     No  grass  to  speak  of. 
U  00    San  Miguel.— Forage  purchasable  ;  no  grass. 
2l'81    Ruins   of  Pecos.— Grazing  very  scant.      Cottonwood 

Creek,  4^  miles  (estimated).     Water  uncertam ;  no 

grass. 
13.41.  Stone  Corral.— No  grass. 
10.80.  SantaFe.— Forage  purchasable;  no  grazmg. 


jn.  — Camping-places  iqjon  a  road  discovered  and 
marked  out  from  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  Dona 
Ana  and  El  Paso,  New  Mexico,  in  1849.  by 
Captain  K.  B.  Marcy,  U.  S.  A. 

Miles. 

Fort  Smith  to  ^,  -,   /•         -n    .. 

C5.   South  Fork  of  the  Canadian—The  road  from  Fort 
Smith  to  the  South  Fork  of  the  Canadian  follows  the 
same  track  as  the  road  to  Albuquerque  and  Santa 
Fe,  and  by  reference  to  the  tables  of  distances  for  that 
road  the  intermediate  camps  will  be  found. 
15    Prior's  Store.— Grass,  wood,  and  water  near. 
\n    Little  Boggy.— Good  camp.     Wherever  there  are  not 
the  requisites  of  wood,  water,  and  grass  for  encamp- 
ing, it  will  be  specially  noted ;    when  they  are  not 
mentioned  they  will  always  be  found. 
13.  Little  Boggy.— Good  camp. 
15K  Boggy  Depot.— Store  and  blacksmith  s  shop.  ^ 
124.  Blue  River.— The  road  passes  over  a  fiat  section,  which 
is  muddy  after  rains.  . 

8^  Fort  Washita.— Good  camp  half  a  mile  before  reaching 
the  fort.  The  road  forks  at  the  Indian  village  on  the 
Boggv,  the  left  being  the  most  direct.  There  are  set- 
tlers along  the  road,  who  will  give  all  necessary  in- 
formation to  strangers.  Corn  plenty. 
22.  Preston  Texas,  on  Red  River.— The  road  from  Fort 


280  FORT  SMITH  TO  DONA  ANA  AND  EL  PASO. 

Miles. 

"VVasliita  runs  through  the  Indian  settlements,  passin- 
many  places  where  good  camps  may  be  found,  and 
crosses  the  Eed  River  at  Preston.     There  is  a  ferry 
here ;   also  stores  and  a  blacksmith's  shop. 
20.  M'Carty's. — Road  runs  through  a  hea\7-timbered  coun- 
tiy,  crossing  several  streams  where  there  are  good 
camps. 
14-|.  Elm  Fork  of  the  Trinity,  at  Gainesville. — Road  passes 
over  a  section  diversified  by  prairies  and  groves  of 
timber. 
12.  Elm  Fork  of  Trinity. — Good  camp. 

1 1.  Elm  Fork  of  Trinity. — Excellent  camps.     Road  passes 

over  a  beautiful  country  rapidly  settling  up  with  farm- 
ers, who  cultivate  and  sell  grain  at  low  rates. 
9.  Turkey  Creek. — Tributary  of  Red  River.  Road  emerges 
from  the  upper  "Cross  Timbers"  two  miles  from 
camp. 
26f.  Buffalo  Springs. — Springs  of  good  water,  but  of  limited 
amount,  in  a  ravine. 

12.  On  a  Ravine. — Pools  of  good  water  and  a  small  running 

stream,  not  reliable. 
13\.  On  a  Ravine. — Pools  of  water. 
17i.  On  a  Ravine. — Pools  of  water. 

17i.  Running  branch  of  Cottonwood  Spring. — Branch  about 
two  feet  wide,  good  water ;  wood  about  half  a  mile 
distant. 

14.  Fort  Belknap. — Good  road  through  post-oak  timber. 
County  seat  and  town  at  Fort  Belknap.  Good  camp 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Brazos,  which  is  always  ford- 
able  except  in  very  high  water. 

14.   Small  Branch. — ^Water  in  holes. 

18.  Water-holes. — Pools  of  water.  Road  passes  over  prai- 
rie and  timbered  lands,  is  very  smooth  and  level. 

7i.  Stem's  Farm,  on  Clear  Fork  of  the  Brazos  River. — 
Good  road ;  excellent  camp,  with  abundance  of  wood, 
water,  and  grass.     Indian  reservation  here. 

13.  Elm  Creek,  or  Qua-qua-ho-no.— Good  road  over  rolling 

prairie  and  mesquite  lands. 

17.  Ravine. — Pools  of  standing  water.     Good  road. 

18.  Ravine. — Pools  of  standing  water.     Good  road. 

27.   Small  Creek.— Tributary  of  the  Brazos.     Good  road. 
6.  Pools  of  Water. — Good  camp. 
8^.  Small  Branch.— Good  water. 


FOKT  SMITH  TO  DONA  ANA  AND  EL  PASO.  281 

Miles. 
20 2-.   Tributary  of  the  Colorado. — Brackish  water. 
3j.  Rio  Colorado. — Brackish  water.     Road  very  excellent. 
12^.  Spring  on  the  Road. — Good  water. 
22^^.  Big  spring  to  the  left  of  the  road,  affording  a  great 
amount  of  water,  which  runs  off  in  a  small  stream. 
23.  Laguna  Colorado. — Water  somewhat  sulphurous;  fuel 

mesquite  roots ;  grass  abundant. 
35.  Mustang  Pond. — This  pond  is  north  of  the  road  about 
two  miles,  and  was  found  in  1849,  but  emigrants  and 
others  have  not  been  able  to  find  it  since.     For  this 
reason  I  would  advise  travelers  to  fill  then-  water-kegs 
at  the  Laguna  Colorado,  as  in  a  very   dry  season 
they  might  not  be  able  to  get  any  water  until  they 
reach  the  Sand  Hills.     The  road  is  excellent  over  the 
"Llano  Estacado,"  or  Staked  Plain. 
Si^.  Sand  Hills. — Water  in  holes.     The  water  is  good  here, 
and  can  always  be  relied  on  as  permanent.     The  road 
through  the  Sand  Hills  is  very  heavy,  and  I  would 
advise  travelers  with  loaded  wagons  to  make  half 
loads. 
31^.  Laguna  near  the  Pecos  River. — Road  passes  through 
the  hills,  and  descends  the  high  prairie  to  the  valley 
of  the  Pecos.     Laguna  on  the  left. 
15^.  Crossing  of  Pecos. — Water  deep  and  not  fordable ;  river 
42  yards  wide.     A  road  leads  up  the  eastern  bank  of 
the  Pecos  to  a  ford  with  rock  bottom.     Good  camps 
can  be  had  at  almost  any  point  on  the  Pecos.     The 
water  is  brackish,  but  can  be  used  without  harm. 
51 K  Pecos  River. — Point  of  the  river  where  the  road  turns 
off  toward  Delaware  Creek. 
9^.  Delaware  Creek. — Good  road  after  leaving  the  Pecos 
River.     The  road  on  the  Pecos  is  good  in  the  bottom 
in  very  dry  weather,  but  after  heavy  rains  it  is  sub- 
merged and  very  muddy.     Travelers  should  then  turn 
off  to  the  bluffs.     The  water  in  Delaware  Creek  is 
brackish, 
llj.  Ojo  de  San  Martin.— Pine  spring  of  fresh  water,  also 
mineral  spring.     Good  road  up  Delaware  Creek. 
J  5^.  Independence  Spring.— Large  spring  of  excellent  water. 

Look  out  for  Indians. 
^1^-  C)jo  del  Camins.— Good  spring  in  the  pine  timber  at  the 
base  of  the  mountain. 
4L  Peak  of  the  Guadalupe. — Spring  at  the  foot  of  the 


282  LEAVENWORTH   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY. 

Miles. 

mountain.     Eoad  descends  the  mountain,  and  is  very- 
steep. 
23^.  Ojo  del  Cuerbo. — Road  descends  through  a  very  rough 
and  sinuous  ravine,  and  crosses  a  long  prairie  to  camp 
at  a  pond  of  standing  water.     No  wood. 

2G.  Cornudas  (Wells). — Well  in  the  rocks;  plenty  of  water 
for  small  parties.     Road  good. 

8|.  Sien-a  del  Alamo. — Road  good  ;  water  limited  in  quan- 
tity. There  is  a  small  spring  upon  the  side  of  the 
mountain.  No  wood  except  a  few  mesquite  roots. 
22^.  Waco  Tanks. — Good  water  in  a  large  reservoir  in  the 
rocks.  The  road  here  branches,  the  left  leading  to 
El  Paso  and  the  right  to  Dona  Ana. 

28.  El  Paso,  on  the  Rio  del  Norte. — Road  good,  with  some 
sand ;  no  water  upon  it. 

The  distance  from  the  "Waco  Tanks"  to  Dona  Aiia  is 
63  miles,  but  40  miles  of  the  road  is  over  heavy  sand, 
and  no  water  until  reaching  the  mountain,  25  miles 
from  Dona  Ana.  I  would  recommend  travelers  to 
take  the  El  Paso  road  in  preference. 

Total  distance  from  Eort  Smith  to  El  Paso,  860  miles. 


^\oU,W^K 


IV. — From  Leavenworth  City  to  Great  Salt  Lake 
City. 

Miles. 

Leavenworth  City  to 
3.  Salt  Creek. — Good  camp ;  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
12.   Cold  Spring. — To  the  right  of  the  road,  in  a  deep  ravine, 

plenty  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
12.   Small  Branch. — To  the  north  of  the  road,  in  an  arroya, 
good  wood,  water,  and  grass.     Here  enters  the  road 
from  Atcheson,  6  miles  distant. 
16|.   Grasshopper  Creek. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
Q\.  Walnut  Creek. — Road  passes  a  town  called  Whitehead,  4 
miles  from  last  camp.     Water  in  pools,  but  f  of  a  mile 
below  is  a  fine   spring;    plenty   of  wood,  water,  and 
grass. 
1 7.  Grasshopper  Creek. — Good  camp,  \vith  wood,  water,  and 
grass. 


LEAVENWORTH   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY.  283 

Miles. 

12^.  Big  Nemehaw,  two  miles  above  Richland. — Good  wood, 

water,  and  grass  near  the  creek. 
11.  Water-holes. — On  the  ridge,  at  the  head  of  a  ravine,  are 

wood,  water,  and  grass,  but  in  a  dry  time  there  would 

be  but  little  water. 
lOf.  Vermilion  Creek. — Water  in  the  creek  not  good,  but 

there  is  a  good  well  of  cold  water  near  the  road.    Wood 

and  grass  good. 
2H.  Big  Blue  River. — Upper  crossing,  good  ford;    plenty  of 

wood,  water,  and  grass.     Fine  clear  stream,  60  yards 

wide. 
17^.  Branch  of  the  Big  Blue. — Camp  half  a  mile  north  of  the 

road ;  good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
15.  Turkey,  or  Rock  Creek. — Good  spring  400  yards  to  the 

north  of  the  road.     Store  at  the  crossing.     Good  wood, 

water,  and  grass. 
19.  Big  Sandy. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  good. 
11).  Little  Blue  River. — Road  runs  across  the  hills  without 

water  until  reaching  camp.   Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
182.   Little  Blue  River. — Camp  is  at  the  point  where  the  road 

turns  off  from  the  creek.     Good  camps  may  be  found 

any  where  on  the  Little  Blue,  with  excellent  wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass.     Fine  running  stream. 
15.  Little  Blue  River. — Road  strikes  the  creek  again,  and 

keeps  it  to  the  camp.     Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

19.  Elm  Creek. — Road  leaves  the  Little  Blue,  and  runs  along 

a  divide  to  the  head  of  Elm  Creek,  where  we  found  wa- 
ter in  holes,  with  some  few  trees ;   grass  good. 

20.  Platte  River. — Road   crosses    one   small  branch,  where 

there  is  water  except  in  a  dry  season.     Good  camp  on 

the  Platte,  with  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
15.  Fort  Kearney. — Good  camp  about  two  miles  from  the 

fort,  upon  the  Platte,  either  above  or  below;  grass, 

wood,  and  water  abundant. 
17.  Platte  River. — Road  runs  along  the  river,  where  there  is 

plenty  of  grass,  and  occasionally  a  few  cottonwood-trees. 

Here  the  buffalo  generally  begin  to  be  seen,  and  the 

traveler  can  always  get  a  plenty  of  buffalo-chips  along 

in  this  section. 
16|.  On  Plum  Creek. — Road  runs  along  the  Platte  to  Plum 

Creek,  where  there  is  a  little  wood,  with  good  grass 

and  water.      Mail  station   at  the   crossing  of  Plum 

Creek . 


284  LEAVENWOETH   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY. 

Miles. 

22^-.  On  Platte  River. — Eoad  runs  along  the  Platte  bottom 
after  crossing  Plum  Creek,  and  is  good  except  in  wet 
weather.  The  road  occasionally  comes  near  the  Platte, 
and,  although  the  timber  becomes  thin,  yet  places  are 
found  where  fuel  can  be  obtained.  Grass  is  plenty  at 
all  points. 
23.  On  Platte  River. — ^Road  continues  along  the  river  valley 
over  a  flat  country  where  the  water  stands  in  ponds, 
and  is  boggy  in  wet  weather.  Camps  occasionally  on 
the  river,  but  little  fuel.  Grass  and  water  good. 
14.  On  Platte  River. — Road  continues  along  the  valley,  with 
the  same  character  as  before,  but  more  timber.  Camp 
opposite  Brady's  Island.  Plenty  of  wood,  water,  and 
grass. 

17i.  Slough. — On  the  Prairie.  Road  runs  from  one  to  three 
miles  from  the  river.  No  wood  all  day;  plenty  of 
grass,  and  buftalo-chips  for  cooking. 

]  5^.  Platte  River. — Road  crosses  O'Fallon's  Bluffs,  where  there 
is  a  good  camping-place  on  the  right  of  the  road.  Plen- 
ty of  wood,  water,  and  grass  on  a  small  stream,  which 
is  part  of  the  Platte.     Mail  station  here. 

1G|,  South  Platte  River. — Road  runs  along  the  Platte,  with 
no  timber.  Good  grass  and  water  at  any  point,  with 
buffiilo-chips  for  fuel. 
17.  South  Platte  River. — No  timber  all  day.  Good  water 
and  grass  at  all  points,  with  buffalo-chips. 
8.  South  Platte  Crossing. — No  wood  all  day.  Good  water 
and  grass,  with  buffalo-chips.  The  river  is  about  GOO 
yards  wide,  rapid,  with  quicksand  bottom,  but  can  be 
forded  when  not  above  a  medium  stage.  It  is  best  to 
send  a  footman  ahead  to  ascertain  the  depth  of  water 
before  crossing  the  wagons  and  animals. 
19.  Ash  Hollow,  at  North  Platte  River. — Road  leaves  the 
South  Fork  of  the  Platte,  and  strikes  over  the  high 
prairie  for  16  miles,  when  it  descends  the  high  bluffs 
bordering  the  valley  of  the  North  Platte,  and  enters  Ash 
Hollow,  where  there  is  a  plenty  of  wood  and  a  small 
spring  of  water.  Half  a  mile  beyond  this  the  road 
reaches  the  river.  Mail  station  and  a  small  groceiy 
here. 

102.  North  Platte. — Very  sandy  road;  no  wood;  grass  and 
water  plenty  at  all  points ;  buffalo-chips  sufficient  for 
cooking. 


LEAVENWOETH   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY. 


285 


Miles. 
17.  North  Platte.— Road  sandy  in  places ;  no  wood ;  good 

grass  and  water ;  som6  buffalo-chips. 
IGk.  North  Platte,— Road  good;    no  wood;  good  grass  and 

water ;   cattle-chips  in  places. 
18f.  North  Platte.— No  wood.      Camp  opposite   ''Chimney 

Rock,"  which  is  a  very  peculiar  formation  on  the  south 

of  the  road,  and  resembles  a  chimney.     Grass  good. 

Road  muddy  after  rains. 


m. 

16. 


CIILMNEY  EOCK. 

North  Platte.— No  wood ;  grass  and  water  good. 

"Horse  Creek,"  branch  of  the  North  Platte.— In  seven 
miles  the  road  passes  through  Scott's  Bluffs,  where  there 
IS  generally  water  in  the  first  ravine  about  200  yards 
below  the  road.  The  road  then  descends  the  mountain, 
at  the  foot  of  which  is  the  Platte  and  a  mail  station. 
A  little  wood  can  be  obtained  at  Scott's  Bluffs ;  there 
IS  none  on  Horse  Creek 


286  LEAVENWOETH   TO    SALT  LAKE   CITY. 

Miles. 

14^.  North  Platte. — Eoad  follows  the  river  bottom  all  day. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  on  the  river. 

12.  Fort  Laramie. — Road  rough  and  rocky  in  places.    There 

are  wood  and  water  plenty,  and  before  many  trains  have 
passed  the  grass  is  good  above  the  fort.  Mail  station 
and  post-office  here,  with  a  sutler's  store  well  stocked 
with  such  articles  as  the  traveler  wants. 

10.  North  Platte. — Road  good,  but  hilly  in  places.     Camp  is 

in  the  river  bottom,  with  plenty  of  wood,  water,  and 
grass.     Hot  spring  two  miles  above  here. 

14.  Bitter  Creek. — There  are  two  roads,  both  of  which  lead 

to  Salt  Lake.  The  upper  or  south  road  is  best  in  the 
spring  or  in  wet  weather.  I  traveled  the  lower  road. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  are  good. 

17|.  Horse-shoe  Creek. — Fine  camp,  with  excellent  wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass.  The  road  here  forks,  one  passing  to  th^ 
left  over  the  hills,  and  the  other  running  nearer  the 
Platte. 

2O2-.  North  Platte  River. — Good  road  along  near  the  river. 
Good  wood,  water,  and  grass.  Road  crosses  the  river 
at  12^-  miles. 

20i.  North  Platte  River. — Road  crosses  the  river  again,  and 
the  camp  is  two  miles  above  the  mouth  of  La  Prell 
Creek.  Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
19.  North  Platte  River. — Road  runs  along  the  river,  and  is 
smooth  and  good.  The  camp  is  two  miles  above  the 
crossing  of  Deer  Creek,  where  there  is  a  blacksmith's 
shop  and  store.  Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 
16.  North  Platte  River. — Good  road,  with  wood,  water,  and 
grass  at  camp. 

13.  North  Platte  River. — Good  road  passing  the  bridge,  where 

there  is  a  blacksmith's  shop  and  store,  also  a  militar}^ 
station  and  a  mail  station.  At  two  miles  from  camp 
the  road  crosses  the  river  on  a  good  ford  with  rocky  bot- 
tom. The  wood,  water,  and  grass  are  abundant. 
23.  Red  Buttes,  on  the  North  Platte. — Road  is  very  hilly,  and 
in  some  places  sandy ;  passes  Willow  Spring,  where 
there  is  grass  and  a  little  wood.  Good  wood,  water, 
and  grass  at  camp.     Mail  station  here. 

11.  Sweet  Water  Creek. — Road  leaves  the  river  at  the  Red 

Buttes,  and  strikes  over  the  high  rolling  prairie.  Good 
grass  and  water,  but  little  wood  at  camp. 

15.  On  Sweet  Water  Creek. — Road  passes  a  blacksmith's  shop 


LEAVENWOKTII    TO    SALT   LAKE    CITY. 


287 


Miles. 


and  store  at  the  bridge  six  miles  from  camp,  and  at  2i 
miles  from  the  camp  it  passes  the  "  Devil's  Gate"  and 
a  mail  station.  The  Sweet  Water  here  runs  between 
two  perpendicular  cliifs,  presenting  a  most  singular  and 
striking  appearance.  Take  wood  at  the  Gate  for  camp. 
Good  grass  and  water  at  all  places  on  Sweet  Water 
Creek. 


THE  DEVIL'S  GATE. 

20.  Sweet  Water  Creek. — Eoad  muddy  after  rains,  and  some 
bad  ravines  to  cross.  Wood,  water,  and  grass  of  the 
best  quality  at  camp. 

12.   Sweet  Water  Creek. — Road  runs  along  the  valley  of  tho 
Sweet  Water,  where  there  is  plenty  of  wood  and  grass 
in  places,  but  little  wood  at  the  camp  noted. 
8.  On  Sweet  Water. — Eoad  good ;  no  wood ;  grass  abund- 
ant. 


288  LEAYENWOKiri   TO   SALT   LAKE   CITY. 

Miles. 
20.  On  Sweet  Water. — Road  good;  no  wood. 

17.  Strawberry  Creek. — Little  wood  ;  grass  and  water  abund- 

ant. Road  leaves  "  Sweet  Water,"  and  ascends  a  very- 
long  bill  which  is  very  rocky. 

20^.  South  Pass. — Road  crosses  the  dividing  ridge,  and  strikes 
the  Pacific  Spring,  where  there  is  excellent  water  and 
good  grass  if  many  cattle  have  not  passed,  in  which 
event  the  traveler  had  better  continue  on  down  the 
creek  which  issues  from  the  spring.  Sage  for  fuel ;  no 
wood, 

15f .  Dry  Sandy  Creek. — Grass  scarce ;  no  wood ;  some  sage 
and  greasewood;  water  bi'ackish,  but  drinkable;  road 
good.  Here  the  traveler  should  send  ahead  and  have 
the  best  spots  of  grass  found,  as  it  is  very  scarce  through- 
out this  section.  Sublette's  Cut-ofi"  turns  off  here  for 
Soda  Springs  and  Fort  Hall.  Take  the  left  for  Fort 
Bridger  and  Salt  Lake  City. 

15.  Little  Sandy  Creek. — Grass  in  spots  along  the  creek  bot- 

tom, and  some  fuel. 

18.  Big  Sandy  Creek. — Grass  in  detached  spots  on  the  creek, 

and  little  fuel. 
21^.  Green  River,  Upper  Ford. — Grass  and  fuel  on  the  river. 
7.   Green  River,  at  the  Lower  Ford. — Good  grass  and  fuel 
below  the  ford.     Ferry  in  time  of  high  Avater.     Mail 
station  and  grocery. 

16.  Black's  Fork. — Good  grass  and  fuel. 

7.  Ham's  Fork. — United  States  bridge,  no  toll.     Good  gi-ass 
and  fuel. 

12.  Black's  Fork. — Road  forks  at  the  crossing  of  Black's 

Fork,  both  roads  leading  to  Fort  Bridger.  This  itin- 
erary is  upon  the  left-hand  road,  which  crosses  Black's 
Fork  two  miles  from  Ham's  Fork. 

13.  Smith's  Fork.— Good  camps  along  Black's  Fork  at  any 

place,  but  the  road  leaves  the  stream  for  several  miles. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  at  the  confluence  of  Black's  and 
Smith's  Forks. 
18i.  Fort  Bridger. — Good  camps  above  and  below  the  fort. 
Military  post,  mail  station,  and  store. 
Muddy  Creek. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water.  Grass 
short  after  many  trains  have  passed.  It  is  then  neces- 
sary to  go  up  the  creek  to  find  good  grass.  Road  passes 
a  fine  spring  3  miles  back. 

19.  Bear  River. — Good  camps,  Avith  wood,  water,  and  grass. 


SALT   LAKE  TO  SACRAMENTO  AND   BENICIA.    289 

Miles. 

Good  ford,  except  in  very  high  water.     Sulphur  Creek 
two  miles  back, 
19.  Red  Fork. — In  "Echo  Canon,"  two  miles  below  Cashe 
Cave,  good  grass  and  fuel ;  water  plenty. 
19^.  Weber  River. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water.     Mail  sta- 
tion.    United  States  bridge  for  high  water ;  no  toll. 
5i.  Spring  Branch. — Good  camp.     Road  leaves  the  river, 
and  takes  the  left  into  a  valley. 
9.  Bauchmin's  Creek. — Road  crosses  over  a  mountain,  and 

descends  to  the  creek,  where  there  is  a  good  camp. 
14.  Big  Canon  Creek. — Road  crosses  Bauchmin's  Creek  13 
times  in  8  miles,  then  ascends  the  mountain  along  a 
small  creek,  which  is  well  wooded  and  good  grass. 
6.  Emigration    Creek. — Road   leaves    Canon    Creek,   and 
crosses  the  two  mountains,  which  are  very  steep  and 
long.      Grass  and  wood  before  crossing  the   "Little 
Mountain." 
10^.  Great  Salt  Lake  City. — Forage  can  be  purchased  here, 
as  well  as  most  of  the  articles  the  traveler  may  require, 
at Jiigh.  prices.     There  is  no  camping-place  within  two 
niiles  of  the  city.     It  is  best  for  those  who  encamp  with 
animals  to  cross  the  Jordan  River,  or  to  stop  near  the 
mouth  of  the  canon  before  entering  the  city. 

Total  distance  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Salt  Lake  City, 
1168  miles. 


V. — Ft'om  Salt  Lake  City  to  Sacramento  and  Be- 
nicia,  California. 

Mile3. 

From  Salt  Lake  City  to 
18.  Halt's  Ranch.  —  Good  road,  and  grass  abundant  until 
Bear  River  is  crossed. 
17i.  Ford  on  Weber  River. — Good  road,  and  grass  abund- 
ant. 
15.  Point  of  Mountain. — Spring  water  warm  but  pure. 
12f.  Box  Elder   Creek. — Excellent  water;    grass   and  fuel 
abundant  in  the  canons. 
23.  Ferry  on  Bear  River. — Four  miles  above  the  usual  cross- 
ing.    Excellent  grass. 
T 


290    SALT   LAKE  TO  SACRAMENTO  AND   BENICIA. 

Miles. 

f .  West  Bank. — Grass  not  good  on  the  west  bank. 
6.   Small  Spring. — Cross  Bear  River  below  the  mouth  of  the 
Mallade. 

17i.  Blue  Springs. — Water  and  grass  scarce,  and  of  poor 
quality. 

21i.  Deep  Creek. — Heavy  sage,  but  good  grass  on  the  right 
of  the  road,  near  sink. 

20i.  Cedar  Springs. — Good  gi*ass  on  the  hills,  with  fine  water 
and  wood ;  rolling  country. 
10.  Rock  Creek. — Plenty  of  grass  to  the  left  of  the  road; 
good  camping-place. 

14^.  Raft  River. — Good  camp. 

22i.  Goose  Creek  Mountains. — Grass,  wood,  and  water  abund- 
ant ;  rough  and  mountainous  country.  Road  from  Fort 
Bridger  comes  in  here  via  Soda  Springs. 

17f.  On  Goose  Creek. — Rough,  broken  countiy,  with  a  good 
road,  which  runs  along  the  creek  for  several  miles. 

28^.  Head  of  1000  Spring  Valley. — Road  runs  over  a  rolling, 
barren  section,  with  but  little  water  except  on  the  river 
far  to  the  right. 

25|.  1000  Spring  Valley. — Meadow  grass ;  good  fuel  scarce. 
Camps  can  be  found  at  short  intervals  along  the 
road. 
14.  Head  of  Humboldt  River. — Fine  camping-places,  and 
road  generally  good,  running  over  a  rolling  coun- 
try. 
23.  Slough  of  the  Humboldt. — Extensive  bottoms  of  good 

grass. 
20.  Humboldt  River. — Along  the  entire  course  of  the  Hum- 
boldt good  grass  is  found  in  the  bottoms.  The  road, 
which  follows  the  bottom,  is  hard  and  smooth,  but  can 
not  be  traveled  in  seasons  of  very  high  water,  as  the 
bottom  overflows.  It  is  then  necessary  to  take  the  road 
on  the  bluffs,  where  the  grass  is  scarce.  The  river, 
when  not  above  a  fording  stage,  can  be  forded  at  almost 
any  point,  and  good  camps  can  be  found  at  short  inter- 
vals. There  are  spots  along  the  river  bottom  where 
alkaline  ponds  are  frequent.  These  are  poisonous  to 
cattle,  and  should  be  avoided  by  travelers.  It  is  well 
along  this  river  not  to  allow  animals  to  drink  any  wa- 
ter except  from  the  river  where  it  is  running. 
20.  Humboldt  River. — The  foregoing  remarks  apply  for  every 
camp  on  the  Humboldt  River. 


SALT  LAKE  TO  SACRAMENTO  AND   BENICIA.    291 


Miles. 

22.  Humboldt  River. — Good  camps  along  the  Humboldt  Val- 

ley. 

23.  Humboldt  River. 
13^.  " 

16i.  " 

25.  " 
131.  " 

24.  " 

24:h  " 

20i.  " 

181.  " 

13i.  " 

18i.  Lawson's  Meadows. — The  road  here  forks,  the  left  going 
by  the  Carson  Valley  and  Sacramento  route,  and  the 
right  via  Goose,  Clear,  and  Rhett  lakes,  Applegate's 
Pass  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  into  Rogue  River  Val- 
ley, Fort  Law,  Oregon  Territory,  Yreka,  Fort  Jones, 
Fort  Reading,  and  Sacramento  River. 

335^.  On  Humboldt  River. — Grass  aud  water  poor  all  the  dis- 
tance to  the  Sink  of  the  Humboldt. 

19i.  Sink  of  Humboldt  River. — The  water  at  the  Sink  is 
strongly  impregnated  with  alkali ;  the  road  generally 
is  good.  Travelers  should  not  allow  their  stock  to 
drink  too  freely  of  this  water. 

26.  Head  Sink  of  Humboldt. — Road  good. 

45.  Carson  River. — Road  crosses  the  desert,  where  there  is  no 
water  for  stock,  but  there  is  a  well  where  travelers  can 
purchase  water  for  drinking.  This  part  of  the  road 
should  be  traveled  in  the  cool  of  the  day  and  at  night. 
Grass  good,  also  the  water. 

2.  Carson  River. — Good  bunch-grass  near  the  road. 
30.   Carson  River. — 26  miles  of  desert;  poor  grass. 

14.  Eagle  Ranch.— Good  grass  and  water.      Washoe  Mines 

near  this  place. 
13.  Reese's  Ranch. — Good  grass  and  water. 
12.  Williams'  Ranch. — Very  good  water  and  grass. 

15.  Hope  Valley. — Road  rotigh  and  rocky. 

3.  Near  Sierra. — Good  camp,  with  water  and  grass. 

7.  First  Summit. — Road  rough  and  rocky;    good  water; 

grass  scarce. 
2.  Second  Summit. — Road  mountainous  and  very  steep; 
snow  nearly  all  the  year. 
10.  Lakes. — Good  camp. 
12.   Leek  Springs. — Good  grass  near  the  road. 


292    SALT  LAKE  TO  SACRAMENTO  AND   BENICIA. 


Miles. 
10.  Trader's  Creek. — Grass  and  fuel  scarce. 
12.   Sly  Park. — Grass  and  fuel  near  the  road. 

Forty  Mile  House. — Water  plenty ;  grass  scarce. 

Sacramento  Valley. — Water  plenty;  purchase  forage. 

Sacramento  City. — ^Water  plenty;  purchase  forage. 

Total  distance  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  Benicia,  973  miles. 

At  the  Big  Meadows,  23  miles  from  the  Sink  of  the  Hum- 
boldt, travelers  should  make  a  halt  of  a  day  or  two  to  rest  and 
recruit  their  animals  and  to  cut  grass  for  crossing  the  desert,  as 
this  is  the  last  good  camping-place  until  reaching  Carson 
River.  The  ground  near  this  place  is  boggy,  and  animals 
should  be  watered  with  buckets.  The  camping-ground  here  is 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  about  half  a  mile  to  the  left 
of  the  main  road.  The  Avater  is  in  a  slough,  near  its  head, 
where  will  be  found  some  springs  which  run  oft"  a  short  distance, 
but  soon  sink. 

The  road  across  the  desert  is  very  sandy,  especially  toward 
the  western  extremity.  Twenty  miles  from  the  Sink  of  the 
Humboldt  there  are  four  wells.  About  half  a  mile  east  of  the 
mail  station  the  road  leading  to  the  Avells  turns  to  the  right, 
where  water  can  be  purchased  for  from  one  to  two  shillings  for 
each  man  and  beast. 

At  91^  miles  beyond  the  mail  station,  on  the  desert,  a  road 
turns  oft"  from  the  main  trace  toward  a  very  high  sandy  ridge, 
and  directly  upon  the  top  of  this  ridge  is  the  crater  of  an  ex- 
tinct volcano,  at  the  bottom  of  which  is  a  salt  lake.  Upon  the 
extreme  north  end  of  this  lake  will  be  found  a  large  spring  of 
fresh  water,  sufticient  for  1000  animals.  From  thence  to  "  Eag- 
town,"  on  Carson  River,  is  three  miles. 

I  would  advise  travelers,  when  their  animals  become  ex- 
hausted before  reaching  this  water,  to  take  them  out  of  harness 
and  drive  them  to  this  place  to  recruit.  There  is  some  grass 
around  the  lake. 

This  desert  has  always  been  the  most  difiicult  part  of  the 
journey  to  California,  and  more  animals  have  probably  been 
lost  here  than  at  any  other  place.  The  parts  of  Avagons  that 
are  continually  met  Avith  here  shows  this  most  incontestably. 


GEEAT  SALT  LAKE  CITY  TO  LOS  ANGELES.  293 

VI. — From  Great  Salt  Lake  City  to  Los  Angeles 
and  San  Frayicisco^  California. 

Miles, 

Salt  Lake  City  to 
20f.  Willow  Creek. — Good  grass. 

14.  American  Creek.— Good  grass. 
\\\.  Provo  City.— Town. 
7i.  Hobble  Creek.— Good  camp. 
6.  Spanish  Fork.— Good  camp. 
5.  Peteetneet. — Good  camp. 

25.  Salt  Creek.  —  Several  small  streams  between.      Good 
camp. 
18i.  Toola  Creek.— Ford.     No  wood;  grass  good. 
6|.  Sevier  River.— Road  is  sandy,  passing  over  a  high  ridge. 
Good  camp. 
25^.  Cedar   Creek.— Road  rather  mountainous   and  sandy. 

Good  grass  and  wood. 
17i.  Creek. — This  is  the  fourth  stream  south  of  Sevier  River. 

Road  crosses  two  streams.     Good  camp. 
3f .  Willow  Flats. — The  water  sinks  a  little  east  of  the  road. 
25.   Spring. — Good  grass  and  water. 
221-.   Sage  Creek. — Grass  poor;  wood  and  water. 

h\.  Beaver  Creek. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
27t.  North  Canon  Creek. — In  Little  Salt  Lake  Valley.    Good 
grass  ;  no  wood.     The  road  is  rough  and  steep  for  six 
miles. 
5|.  Creek. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
6|.  Creek. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
12|.  Cottonwood  Creek. — Good  grass  and  water. 
9.  Cedar  Springs. — Good  camp. 
23,  Pynte  Creek, — Good  grass  one  mile  up  the  canon. 
9.  Road  Springs. — Road  is  rough  ;  good  camp. 
16.   Santa  Clara. — Road  descending  and  rough ;  poor  grass. 
From  this  point  to  Cajon  Pass  look  out  for  Indians. 
17i.  Camp  Springs. — Two  miles  before  reaching  the  springs 

the  road  leaves  the  Santa  Clara.     Good  grass, 
22|.  Rio  Virgin, — Road  crosses  over  the  summit  of  a  mount- 
ain.    Good  road ;  grass  poor, 
39^.  Rio  Virgin. — Road  runs  down  the  Rio  Virgin,  crossing  it 

ten  times.     Grass  good  down  the  river. 
19f.  Muddy  Creek. — Road  for  half  a  mile  is  very  steep  and 

sandy.     Good  camp. 
52f.  Las  Vegas. — Water  is  sometimes  found  2^  miles  west  of 


294  GREAT  SALT  LAKE  CITY  TO  LOS  ANGELES. 

Miles. 

the  road  in  holes  23  miles  from  the  Muddy,  and  some 
grass  about  a  mile  from  the  road.     Good  camp. 
5.  On  Vegas. — Road  runs  up  the  river.     Good  grass. 
17.   Cottonwood  Spring. — Poor  grass. 
29f .  Cottonwood  Grove. — No  grass.     "Water  and  grass  can  be 
found  four  miles  west  by  following  the  old  Spanish  trail 
to  a  ravine,  and  thence  to  the  left  in  the  ravine  one 
mile. 
21f.  Eesting  Springs. — Good  grass  and  water.    Animals  should 
be  rested  here  before  entering  the  desert. 
7.  Spring. — The  spring  is  on  the  left  of  the  road,  and  flows 
into  Saleratus  Creek.     Animals  must  not  be  allowed  to 
drink  the  Saleratus  water. 
14^.  Salt  Springs. — Poor  grass  and  no  fresh  water. 
38f.  Bitter  Springs. — Good  road  ;  poor  grass. 
30|.  Mohave  River. — Good  road  and  good  grass. 
51^.  On  the  Mohave. — Last  ford.     Good  grass  all  the  way  up 
the  Mohave. 
17.  Cajon  Pass. — At  the  summit. 
10.  Camp. — Road  bad  down  the  cauon. 
Hi.  Coco  Mongo  Ranch, 

10.  Del  Chino  Ranch. — Williams. 
19|.   San  Gabriel  River. 
6.  San  Gabriel  Mission. 
8i.  Pueblo  de  los  Angeles. 
65|.  Santa  Clara  River.— On  the  Coast  Route.     Good  camps 
to  San  Jose. 
7i.  Buena  Ventura  Mission  and  River.— Road  here  strikes 

the  Pacific  shore. 
26.   Santa  Barbara. — Town. 
45f.  San  Yenness  River.— At  the  Mission. 
781.  Santa  Margareta.— Old  Mission. 
28|.  San  Miguel.— Old  Mission. 
24f .  San  Antonio  River. 
26f .  Rio  del  Monterey. 

15f.  Solida  Mission.— At  the  ford  of  Rio  del  Monterey. 
37^^.  San  Juan  Mission. 
33.   San  Jose  Pueblo. 
75.  San  Francisco. 


FOET   BRIDGER   TO    THE   CITY    OF  ROCKS.       295 


VII. — From  Fort  Bridger  to  the  "  City  of  JRochs.^'' 
From  Captain  Hancock's  Journal. 

Miles. 

Fort  Bridger  to 
9.  Little  Muddy  Creek. — Water  brackish  in  pools  along 
the  creek;    tall  bunch-grass;    sage  for  fuel.     Road 
runs  over  a  barren  section,  is  rough,  and  passes  one 
steep  hill. 

12^.  Big  Muddy  Creek. — The  road,  with  the  exception  of 
two  or  three  bad  gullies,  is  good  for  ten  miles ;  it  then 
follows  the  Big  Muddy  bottom,  which  is  flat  and  bog- 
gy. The  camp  is  three  miles  above  the  crossing. 
Some  grass ;  sage  for  fuel. 

141.  Small  Branch  of  the  Muddy  Creek. — Cross  the  river  in 
three  miles  at  a  bad  ford.  A  mile  above  camp  the 
grass  is  good.     Eoad  generally  good. 

19^.  On  Small  Creek. — Road  continues  up  the  Muddy  9^- 
miles  to  its  head.  It  then  ascends  to  the  divide  be- 
tween Bear  and  Green  Rivers,  probably  800  feet,  in 
1-|  miles.  The  descent  on  the  other  side  is  about  the 
same.  The  road  passes  many  fine  springs.  At  one 
and  two  miles  back  it  passes  points  of  hills,  where  it 
is  very  rough.     Good  grass  and  sage  at  camp. 

8^.  Bear  River. — Bad  creek  to  cross  near  the  camp ;  thence 
to  Bear  River  Valley  the  road  is  good.  It  then  fol- 
lows down  the  river,  crossing  Willow  Creek,  Good 
camp,  with  a  large,  fine  spring. 
17.  Bear  River. — Good  road  along  the  river ;  plenty  of  wood, 
water,  and  grass  at  all  points, 

18-i.  Foot  of  Grant's  Mountain. — Road  runs  along  Beat 
River;  at  2t  miles  strikes  Smith's  Fork,  a  rapid  trout 
stream.  The  road  crosses  the  lower  ford.  A  few 
miles  farther  on  is  a  bad  slough,  which  can  be  avoided 
by  taking  a  round  on  the  hills.  Cross  Thomas's  Fork 
on  a  bridge,  also  a  slough  near  it ;  toll  $2.00  for  each 
team  and  wagon.  The  road  then  leaves  Bear  River 
Valley,  and  turns  over  a  very  steep  hill.  Good  grass, 
wood,  and  water. 
12.  Bear  River.— Road  ascends  Grant's  Mountain  1200  feet 
in  1^  miles — double  teams — then  descends  again  into 
Bear  River  Valley  at  4|^  miles.  Good  wood,  water, 
and  grass. 


296      FOET   BRIDGER   TO   THE   CITY    OF   ROCKS. 


Miles. 
17f .  Indian  Creek. — Koad  crosses  eight  fine  spring  branches ; 
camp  is  on  a  beautiful  trout  stream.     Good  wood, 
water,  and  grass. 

11.  Spring  near  Bear  River. — Road  is  hilly,  crossing  two 
spring  branches.  Good  wood,  water,  and  grass.  The 
camp  is  on  the  left  and  near  the  road. 

11.  Bear  River. — At  Gj^j  miles  the  road  strikes  a  large 
group  of  springs  called  "Soda  Springs,"  and  here 
crosses  Pine  Creek,  on  the  left  bank  of  which  is  a  sal- 
eratus  lake.  Soon  after  it  strikes  the  main  springs, 
and  after  crossing  another  creek  the  "  Steam-boat 
Spring"  may  be  seen  in  the  bed  of  the  river. 

15.  "Port  Neuf,"  or  Rock  Creek.— At  2^^  miles  the  road 
leaves  Bear  River  near  where  it  runs  through  a  canon 
with  high  bluffs  on  each  side.  At  this  point  the  Cal- 
ifornia and  Fort  Hall  roads  separate.  The  California 
road  (called  Hudspeth's  Cut-off)  then  crosses  a  valley 
between  the  Bear  River  and  Port  Neuf  River  Mount- 
ains, 9  miles.  No  water  from  camp  to  camp.  Good 
camp. 

15.  Marsh  Creek. — About  two  miles  above  the  main  road 
the  creek  can  be  forded ;  a  road  leads  to  it  from  the 
descent  into  the  valley.  Road  good ;  water  and  grass 
plenty ;  no  wood. 
16-^.  Pannack  Creek.— First  part  of  the  road  is  hilly ;  the  re- 
mainder good.     Good  camp. 

7^.  Mallade  River. — At  7i  miles  the  road  crosses  the  Mal- 
lade  River.  Good  camp  140  miles  from  Salt  Lake 
City.  Good  road. 
22-j^.  Small  Creek. — The  road  ascends  a  ridge  through  a 
canon,  and  descends  to  a  valley  on  the  other  side. 
From  the  camp  to  the  summit  of  the  ridge  is  61 
miles.  The  descent  is  3-j^  miles.  It  then  crosses  a 
valley  8  miles  wide,  and  strikes  a  canon  which  leads 
to  the  top  of  a  hill  over  a  rough  road.  Plenty  of 
wood,  water,  and  grass  at  camp,  but  no  water  between 
this  and  the  last  camp. 

9§.  Small  Creek. — Road  after  five  miles  strikes  a  canon 

with  a  long  but  gentle  ascent.     Two  miles  from  the 

entrance  of  this  canon  is  a  spring  branch.     There  is 

wood  and  some  grass  and  water  at  this  place. 

11^.   Spring  Branch. — The  road  passes  througli  a  canon,  and 


FORT  BRIDGER  TO   THE   CITY   OF   ROCKS.       297 

Miles. 

at  5  miles  strikes  the  head  of  a  spring  hranch,  which 
it  follows  down  2^  miles  to  the  junction  with  a  larger 
branch,  which  is  bridged.  At  nine  tenths  of  a  mile 
another  fork  enters.  Grass  very  fine  here.  Road  fol- 
lows down  this  across  the  main  branch,  and  the  camp 
is  2  miles  below.  Good  camp. 
18i.  Decassure  Creek,  or  Raft  River. — Road  continues  down 
the  creek  2-^  miles,  and  crosses,  then  ascends  by  a 
steep  hill  to  an  elevated  sage  plain,  leaving  the  creek 
at  llf  miles,  and  passes  a  slough  with  water.  Good 
camp. 

17-^.  Spring  Branch. — The  road  crosses  the  creek  near  the 
last  camp,  and  follows  up  a  valley,  crossing  in  five 
miles  several  spring  branches.  At  2^  miles  it 
crosses  the  creek  again,  and  follows  up  the  valley  two 
miles  farther,  then  crosses  a  high  sage  plain  8-^ 
miles  long,  when  it  strikes  a  spring  150  yards  to  the 
left  of  the  road,  where  there  is  an  excellent  camp  in 
a  beautiful  valley. 
10.  Junction  of  Salt  Lake  City  Road. — Road  passes  several 
small  branches  in  3  miles,  then  commences  ascending 
through  a  canon  which,  in  2^  miles,  leads  to  the  en- 
trance to  the  "City  of  Rocks,"  and  passes  through 
these  for  three  miles.  It  then  crosses  a  ridge,  leaving 
the  City  of  Rocks,  and  at  ten  miles  from  last  camp 
intersects  the  road  from  "Salt  Lake  City."  (At  1-| 
miles  beyond  this  a  road  leads  off  to  the  right  to  a 
spring  branch,  3  miles,  where  there  is  a  good  camp 
near  the  foot  of  Goose  Creek  Mountain.  From  this 
point  California  travelers  can  refer  to  the  itinerary  of 
the  route  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  Sacramento.) 


298  sublet's  cut-off. 

VIII. — From  Soda  jS])rings  to  the  City  of  Bocks^ 
knovm  as  BJudspetNs  Cut-off. 

Miles. 

Soda  Springs  to 
20.  Bear  River. — The  road  runs  down  Bear  River,  crossing 

some  small  streams.     Good  camp. 
10.  Portner  Creek. — Camp  at  the  head  of  the  creek.     Good 

wood,  water,  and  grass. 
12.  Fork  of  Portner  Creek. — Good  camp. 
15.  Pannack  Creek. — ^Road  crosses  a  summit.    Good  road  and 

camp. 
12.  Snake  Spring. — Good  camp. 
12.  Utha  Spring. — Good  camp. 
15.  Decassure  Creek. — Road  crosses  a  small  stream;  rather 

bad  crossing.     Good  camp. 
18.  City  of  Rocks. — Junction  of  Salt  Lake  road.    Good  camp. 


IX. — Sublette's  Cut-off^  from  Salt  Lake  City  Moad., 
west  of  South  Pass^  to  Bear  River. 

Miles. 

Junction  to 
7.  Big  Sandy. 
44.  Green  River. — From  the  Big  Sandy  to  Green  River  (upper 
road)  there  is  an  abundance  of  grass  in  places  along  the 
road,  but  no  water. 
6.  Small  Creek. — The  road  runs  up  the  creek.     Good  grass. 
4.   On  the  Creek. — Good  grass  and  water. 
12.  Small  Spring. — The  spring  is  on  the  left  of  the  road. 
Good  grass. 
9.  Ham's  Fork. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
6.  Spring. — On  the  summit  of  a  mountain.     Good  grass. 
6.  Muddy  Creek. — ^Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
10.  Spring. — In  Bear  River  Valley.     Good  wood,  water,  and 
grass. 

6.  Smith's  Fork. — In  Bear  River  Valley.     Good  wood,  wa- 

ter, and  grass. 
10.  Tomaus'  Fork. — Road  runs  down  Bear  River.    Good  wood, 
water,  and  grass. 

7.  Spring  Creek. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

7.  Smith's  Ford. — Road  crosses  over  a  spur  of  the  mountain ; 
long  and  gradual  ascent ;  descent  rather  abrupt.  Good 
wood,  water,  and  grass. 


lawson's  meadows  to  poet  readin-g.     299 

The   road  here   connects    with   Captain   Hancock's   route 
from  Fort  Bridger  to  the  City  of  Rocks.     Sec  Itinerary  No. 


X. — From  Laicson^s  Meadoics^  on  the  Humholdt 
Miver^  to  Fort  Reading^  via  Rogue  River  Yalley^ 
Fort  La7%e^  Oregon  Territory^  Yreka^  a7id  Fort 
Jones. 

Miles. 

Lawson's  Meadows  to 

18j.  Mountain  Spring. — Road  leaves  the  Humboldt,  and  takes 
a  northwesterly  course  12  miles  to  a  spring  of  good  wa- 
ter. Good  bunch-grass  to  the  left  of  the  road,  and  a 
small  spring  at  the  camp.  The  road  is  plain  on  leav- 
ing the  river,  but  after  a  few  days  it  becomes  faint. 
Road  from  this  point  passes  over  a  desert  country  for 
about  60  miles,  without  good  water  or  much  grass. 

38^-.  Black  Rock  Spring. — Road  level  and  hard,  with  little 
vegetation.  In  14  miles  pass  springs,  but  the  water  is 
not  good.  In  16  miles  the  road  passes  a  slough  which 
is  difficult  to  cross ;  water  not  good,  but  can  be  given 
to  cattle  in  small  quantities.  In  five  miles  from  this 
the  road  passes  Black  Rock,  mentioned  by  Colonel 
Fremont  in  his  trip  from  Columbia  River  in  1843-4. 
Three  miles  farther  pass  boiling  springs,  very  hot,  but 
good  cooled.     Grass  pretty  good. 

20i.  Mountain  Rill. — Water  good;  bunch-grass  in  the  vicin- 
ity.    In  eight  miles'  travel  the  road  passes  a  beautiful 
creek  of  pure  water,  with  good  grass. 
5|.  Lake  (Marshy). 

10^.  High  Rock  Cailon. — This  canon  is  25  miles  long,  with 
Ivild  and  curious  scenery.     Road  crosses  the  creek  fre- 


300     lawson's  meadows  to  foet  reading. 

Milea. 

quently,  and  the  mud  is  bad.     In  the  autumn  the  road 
is  good. 

141 .  High  Rock  Canon. 

Small  Creek. — Beautiful  country,  with  the  greatest  abund- 
ance of  water  and  grass  ;   also  fuel. 

25^.  Pine  Grove  Creek. — Road  passes  over  an  interesting  coun- 
try, well  supplied  with  wood,  water,  and  grass,  and 
passes  around  the  south  end  of  a  salt  lake. 

18^.  West  Slope  of  Sierra. — Road  passes  over  the  mountain, 
which  is  steep  but  not  rocky,  then  descends  to  a  small 
creek  of  good  water  which  runs  into  Goose  Lake. 
Good  grass  and  fuel.  Look  out  for  the  Indians,  as  they 
are  warlike  and  treacherous  here. 
7f .  East  shore  of  Goose  Lake. — Excellent  camp. 

16i.  West  shore  of  Goose  Lake. — This  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of 
fresh  water;  great  quantities  of  water-fowl  resort  to 
this  lake. 

IGf.  Slough  Springs. — The  road  passes  over  a  very  rocky  di- 
vide, covered  with  loose  volcanic  debris,  very  hard  for 
animals,  and  wearing  to  their  feet.  They  should  be 
well  shod  before  attempting  the  passage. 

18I-.  Marshy  Lake. — Road  difficult  for  wagons. 
15.  Clear  Lake. — Beautiful  lake  of  pure  water,  with  good 
grass  around  its  shore. 

25i.  East  shore  of  Rhett's  Lake. — ^Road  tolerable  over  a  roll- 
ing, rocky  country,  between  lakes.     The  road  crosses 
Lost  River  over  a  natural  bridge,  on  a  solid,  smooth 
ledge  of  rock. 
19.  West  shore  of  Rhett's  Lake. — Plenty  of  wood,  water,  and 

grass  along  this  road. 
21.  Klamath  River. — Road  leaves  Rhett's  Lake,  and  enters 
the   forest    and   mountains ;    tolerably   good.      Good 
camp. 

15^.  Cascade  Mountains. — The  road  passes  over  high  mount- 
ains, through  lofty  pine-trees.  Camp  is  at  Summit 
Meadows.     Good  water  and  grass,  also  fuel. 

14i.  Western  slope  of  Cascade  Mountains. — Rough  roads. 

19|:.  Rogue  River  Valley. — Road  descends  into  the  settlements 
in  six  miles,  where  there  is  a  lovely  fertile  valley,  well 
settled  with  farmers. 

23|.  Fort  Lane. — Near  "Table  Rock,"  on  Rogue  River,  eight 
miles  from  Jacksonville.     Dragoon  post. 

22 J.  Rogue  River  Valley. — Good  camp. 


SODA  SPEINGS   TO   FORT  WALLAH  WALLAH.    301 


Miles. 
18.  Siskiyou  Mountains. — Road  crosses  the  Siskiyou  Mount- 
ains, and  is  difficult  for  wagons. 
18.  Yreka. — Flourishing  mining  city. 
18.  Fort  Jones. — Infantiy  post,  in  Scott's  Valley. 
20.   Scott's  Mountain. — Good  camp  at  the  foot  of  the  mount- 
ain.    Road  passes  over  the  mountains,  but  is  impass- 
able for  wagons. 
90.  Shasta  City. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 
180.  Sacramento  City. 


XI. — From  Soda  /Sprmr/s  to  Fort  Wallah  Wallah 
and  Oregon  City^  Oregon^  via  Fort  Hall. 

Miles. 

Soda  Springs  to 

25.  Portner  Creek. — Good  camp.     Take  the  right-hand  road. 

10.  Ross's  Creek. — Good  camp. 

10.  Fort  Hall  Valley. — Good  camp.      Road  runs  down  the 

creek. 
8.  Snake  River. — Good  camp.     Road  crosses  the  river  bot- 
tom. 
5.  Fort  Hall. 

15.  Small  Branch. — Camp  is  three  miles  below  the  crossing 
of  Fort  Neuf  River,  which  is  fordable.  Good  Avood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass. 

10.  American  Falls. — Good  camp. 

13.  Raft  River. — Road  rough  and  rocky.  Sage  for  fuel ;  grass 
scarce. 

17.  Bend  of  Swamp  Creek. — Grass  scarce. 

20.  On  Snake  River. — Road  crosses  Swamp  and  Goose  Creeks. 
Wood  on  the  hills ;  grass  short. 

25.  Rock  Creek. — Road  crosses  one  small  creek,  and  is  very 

rough  and  rocky  for  several  miles,  when  it  enters  a  sandy 
region,  where  the  grass  is  scarce  ;  sage  plenty,  and  wil- 
lows on  the  creek. 
24.  Snake  River. — Road  crosses  several  small  branches.  There 
is  but  little  grass  except  in  narrow  patches  along  the 
river  bottom. 

26.  Fishing  Falls. — Road  very  crooked  and  rough,  crossing 

two  small  streams. 
29.  Snake  River. — Road  crosses  several  small  creeks,  but  leaves 


302    SODA  SPEINGS   TO  FORT  WAXLAH  WALLAH. 

Miles. 

the  main  river  to  the  north,  and  runs  upon  an  elevated 

plateau.     Good  grass  at  camp. 
16.   Snake  River  (ford). — Road  tortuous;   ford  good  in  low 

water. 

19.  Small  Branch. — Road  crosses  Snake  River,  and  follows  up 

a  small  branch,  leaving  the  river  to  the  left.     Good 
grass.     Road  ascends  to  a  high  plateau,  which  it  keeps 
during  the  whole  distance. 
26.  River  "  Aux  Rochers." — Road  passes  Hot  Springs,  and  is 
rough.     Wood,  water,  and  grass  plenty. 

22.  Small  Creek. — Road  crosses  two  small  branches,  and  is 

very  rocky,  but  at  camp   grass,  wood,  and  water   are 
abundant. 

23.  Rio  Boise. — Road  crosses  one  small  creek,  and  foUows 

along  the  Boise  River.     Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

26.  Fort  Boise. — Road  follows  the  south  bank  of  Boise  River 

to  the  fort. 
2.  Fort  Boise. — Road  crosses  Boise  River.     Good  ford  at  or- 
dinary stages.     Grass  good  in  the  river  bottom. 

20.  River  "Aux  Matthews." — Good  road.     Grass  abundant, 

but  coarse  ;  wood  and  water  plenty. 

27.  Snake  River. — Road  passes  over  a  rough  country.     Grass 

scarce  and  of  a  poor  quality. 

20.  Burnt  River. — Road  leaves  Snake  River,  and  takes  across 

Burnt  River,  following  up  the  north  side  of  this  to  the 

camp.     It  is  mountainous  and  rough,  but  the  grass  is 

good,  and  there  is  wood  along  the  river. 
22.  Burnt  River, — Road  continues  up  the  river,  and  is  still 

rough  and  mountainous.     Grass  and  wood  plenty. 
26.  Small  Branch, — Road  passes  over  a  divide  to  "Powder 

River. "     It  is  still  rough,  but  getting  better.     The  grass 

is  good. 
13.  Powder  River. — Good  road ;  gi'ass  plenty. 

21.  Creek.  —  Road   passes    a    divide,  crossing   several   small 

streams,  and  is  smooth,  with  plenty  of  grass  and  fuel. 

20.  Creek. — Road   crosses   one   small  branch,  and  is   rather 

rough.     The  grass  and  fuel  are  good  and  abundant. 

21.  Creek. — Road  follows  down  the  creek  for  ten  miles,  then 

turns  up  a  small  branch,  and  is  good.     There  is  plenty 
of  grass  and  fuel. 
12.  Branch. — Road  crosses  a  divide  and  strikes  another  branch. 
5.  Small  branch  of  the  Umatilah  River. — Good  road,  with 
plenty  of  wood  and  grass. 


SODA  SPRINGS   TO   FORT  WALLAH  WALLAH.    303 

Miles. 

16.  Branch  of  "Wallah  Wallah  River. — Wood,  water,  anrl 

grass. 
18.  Wallah  Wallah  River. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
18.  Wallah  Wallah  River. — ^Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

Columbia  River  at  Port  Wallah  Wallah. — Wood,  water, 

and  grass. 
10.  Butler  Creek. — Good  camp. 

18.  Wells's  Spring. — Good  camp. 

12.  Willow  Creek. — Good  camp. 

13.  Cedar  Spring, — Good  camp. 

6.  John  Day's  River. — Good  camp. 

5.  Forks  of  Road. — No  camping.     Left-hand  road  for  wag- 

ons, and  right-hand  for  pack  trains.      This  itinerary 
takes  the  left. 
10.  Ouley's  Camp. — Good  camp. 

19.  Soot's  River. — Good  camp. 

6.  Fall  River. — Good  camp. 
10.  Utah's  River. — Good  camp. 
18.  Soot's  River. — Good  camp. 

6.  Soot's  River. — Good  camp.     Road  follows  up  the  river, 

crossing  it  several  times. 
16.  Sand  River  Fork. — Good  grass  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  left 

of  the  road. 
8.  Good  Camp. 
15.  Royal  Hill  Camp. — Good  camp. 

7.  Sandy  River. — But  little  grass. 

45.  Down  the  River. — Good  camps  all  the  distance. 
25.  Oregon  City. — Good  camps  all  the  distance. 
75.  Salem. — Good  camps  all  the  distance. 


304  INDIANOLA   TO   SAN  ANTONIO. 

XII. — Route  for  pack  trains  from  John  Day's 
River  to  Oregon  City. 

Miles. 

John  Day's  River  to 

17.  Columbia  River. — From  John  Day's  River  to  the  forks  of 
the  road,  and  thence  by  the  right-hand  fork  to  the  Co- 
lumbia.    Good  camp. 

2\.  Soot's  River  Ferry. — Good  camp. 

15.  Dalles. — Good  camp. 

25.  Dog  River. — Good  camp. 

15.  Cascade  Mountains. — One  bad  place. 
9.  Ouley's  Rock. — Good  camp. 

20.  Image  Plain  Feny. — Good  camp. 

15.  Portland. — Good  camp. 

12,  Oregon  City. — Good  camp. 


Xni. — From  IncUa7iola  and  Powder-horn  to  San 

A^itonio,  Texas. 

Miles. 

Powder-horn  to 
4.  Indianola,  Texas. — Steamers  run  from  New  Orleans  five 

times  a  week  to  Powder-horn. 
14.  Chocolate  Creek. — Good  grass  and  water;  fuel  scarce. 
Road  passes  over  a  low,  flat  countiy,  which  in  wet 
weather  is  heavy  and  muddy. 
12.  Grove. — Grove  of  oak ;  good  water  and  grass.     The  road 
passes  over  a  hog-wallow  prairie,  which  is  very  muddy, 
and  almost  impassable  for  loaded  teams  after  rains. 
The  gi'ass  is  abundant  every  where  in  this  section. 
12^.  Victoria. — The  road  is  good,  passing  along  near  the  east 
bank  of  the  Guadalupe  River.     The  country  is  thickly 
settled  with  farmers,  who  sell  grain  at  reasonable  rates. 
Grass  abundant,  also  fuel. 

34.  Yorktown. — Road   crosses  the   Guadalupe  River   on  a 

bridge ;  toll  one  dollar  for  a  six-mule  team.     It  then 
crosses  a  low  bottom  for  three  miles ;  from  thence  the 
road  is  good,  over  a  rolling  country,  with  plenty  of  wood, 
water,  and  grass. 
33.  Cibello  River. — Good  road ;  wood,  water,  and  grass  plenty. 

35.  San  Antonio. — Good  road,  with  plenty  of  wood,  water, 

and  grass  along  the  road.  The  Cibello  is  fordable  at 
ordinary  stages.  The  traveler  can  procure  any  thing 
he  may  need  at  Victoria  and  at  San  Ajatonio. 


SAN   ANTONIO   TO   FORT  YUMA.  305 

XrV. —  'Wagon-road from  San  A^itonio^  Texas^  to 
El  JPaso,  JV.  M.,  and  Fort  Yimia,  Cal. 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 
Miles. 

San  Antonio  to 
6.41.  Leona. 
18.12.  Castroville. 
11.00.  Hondo. 
14.28.  Rio  Seco. 
12.50.   Sabinal. 
13.46.  Rio  Frio. 
15.12.  Nueces. 
10.27.  Turkey  Creek. 

15.33.  Elm  Creek. — All  good  camps,  with  abundance  of  wood, 
water,  and  grass.     Country  mostly  settled,  and  the 
road  very  good,  except  in  wet  weather,  from  San 
Antonio  to  Elm  Creek. 
7.00.  Fort  Clarke. — Good   grass,  wood,  and  water.     Road 
,  level  and  good. 

7.00.  Piedra  Pinta. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 
8.86.  Maverick's  Creek. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 
12.61.  San  Felipe. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 
10.22.  Devil's  River. — First  crossing.     Good  wood,  water,  and 

grass. 
18.27.  California  Springs. — Grass  and  water  poor. 

18.39.  Devil's  River. — Second  crossing.     Grass  poor. 
19.50.  Devil's  River. — Good  camp.     The  only  water  between 

Devil's  River  and  Live  Oak  Creek  is  at  Howard's 
Springs.     The  road  is  very  rough  in  places. 
44.00.  Howard's  Springs, — Grass  scarce;  water  plenty  in  win- 
ter ;  wood  plenty, 
30.44.  Live  Oak  Creek, — Good  water  and  grass.     The  road 
passes  within  1^  miles  of  Fort  Lancaster. 
7.29.  Crossing  of  Pecos  River. — Bad  water  and  bad  camp. 

The  water  of  the  Pecos  can  be  used. 
5.47.  Las  Moras. — Good  water,  grass,  and  wood.     The  road 
is  rough  on  the  Pecos. 
32.85.  Camp  on  the  Pecos  River. — Wood  and  grass  scarce. 
16.26.  Escondido  Creek. — At  the    crossing.      Water   good; 
little  grass  or  wood. 
8.76.  Escondido  Spring. — Grass  and  water  good ;  little  grass. 

19.40.  Comanche  Creek. — Grass  and  water  good ;  little  grass. 
8.88.   Leon  Springs. — Grass  and  water  good ;  no  wood. 

u 


306  SAN  ANTONIO   TO   FOKT  TUMA. 

Miles. 

33.86.  Barela  Spring. — Grass  and  water  pood;  wood  plenty. 

28.00.  Fort  Davis. — Good  camp.     From  Fort  Davis  to  Eaglo 

Springs  there  is  an  ascent,  and  one  of  the  very  best 

of  roads. 
18.42.   Barrel  Springs. — Water  good  ;  grass  and  wood  fair. 
13.58.  Dead   Man's  Hole. — Good  wood    and  water;    grass 

scarce. 
32.83.  Van  Home's  Wells. — No  grass  or  wood,  but  they  will 

be  found  two  miles  back. 
19.74.  Eagle  Springs. — Grass  and  wood  poor;  water   about 

half  a  mile  from  camp,  in  a  narrow  canon. 
32.03.  Mouth   of  Canon    "de   los  Camenos." — The   road  is 

rather  rough.     From  here  to  Fort  Bliss,  opposite  El 

Paso,  the  road  runs  near  the  river,  and  camps  may 

be  made  any  where.    The  wood,  water,  and  grass  are 

good  at  all  points. 
61.13.   San  Eluzario. — Mexican  toAvn. 
9.25.   Socorro. — Mexican  town. 
15.00.  Fort  Bliss,  at  El  Paso. — United  States  military  pogt 

and  Mexican  town. 
Total  distance  from  San  Antonio  to  El  Paso,  654.27 

miles. 


Miles. 

El  Paso  to 

22.  Cottonwood. — From  El  Paso  to  Messilla  Valley,  in  the 
Gadsden  Purchase,  the  road  runs  up  the  east  bank  of 
the  Rio  Grande  to  Fort  Fillmore  (N.  M.),  where  it 
crosses  the  river  into  the  Messilla  Valley. 

22.  Fort  Fillmore. 
6.  La  Messilla. 

65.  Cook's  Spring. — From  Messilla  Valley  to  Tucson  the  road 
is  remarkably  good,  with  good  grass  and  water.  The 
streams  on  this  section  are  the  Mimbres  and  San  Pedro, 
both  fordable,  and  crossed  with  little  trouble.  The 
Apache  Indians  are  generally  met  with  in  this  country. 
There  is  a  flouring-mill  two  miles  below  El  Paso,  where 
flour  can  be  purchased  at  very  reasonable  prices. 

18.  Rio  Mimbres. 

17.  Ojo  la  Vaca. 
10.  Ojo  de  Ynez. 
34.  Peloncilla. 

18.  San  Domingo. 


SAK   ANTONIO   TO   FORT   YUMA.  30V 

Miles. 

23.  Apache  Springs. 
9.  Cabesas  Springs. 

26.  Dragon  Springs. 

18.  Quercos  Canon. — Bunch-grass  will  be  found  sufficient  for 

traveling  purposes  along  this  section  of  the  road  between 

El  Paso  and  Tucson. 
6.  San  Pedro  Crossing. 
20.  Cienega. 
13.  Cienega  Creek., 
20.  Mission  of  San  Xavier. 
8.  Tucson. — Total  distance  from  El  Paso  to  Tucson,  305 

miles. 
5.  Pico  Chico  Mountain. 
35.  First  Camp  on  Gila  River. 
29.  Maricopa  Wells. — The  Maricopa  Wells  are  at  the  western 

extremity  of  a  fertile  valley  occupied  by  Pincos  Indians, 

who  cultivate  corn  and  other  grain. 
40.  Tezotal. — Across  Jornada.     There  is  but  little  grass  here, 

but  in  the  season  the  mesquite  leaves  are  a  good  sub- 
stitute. 
10.  Ten  Mile  Camp. 

15.  Oatman's  Flat. — First  ciossing  of  the  Gila  River. 

25.  Second  Crossing  of  the  Gila. — The  traveler  can  generally 
find  sufficient  grass  in  the  hills  along  the  valley  of  the 
Gila. 

32.  Peterman's  Station. 

20.  Antelope  Peak. 

24.  Little  Corral. 

16.  Fort  Yirnia. 

The  distance  from  El  Paso  to  Fort  Yuma  is  644  miles. 


308  •      FOET  YUMA  TO   SAN  DIEGO. 


WELL  EN   THE  DEBEET. — ALAilO  MOCHO. 

XV. — From  Fort  Yuma  to  San  Diego^  Cali- 
fornia. 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 

Miles. 

Fort  Yuma  to 

10.00.  Los  Algodones. — Along  the  Colorado. 

10.00.  Cook's  Wells. — Here  commences  the  great  desert ;  wa- 
ter nowhere  good  or  reliable  until  arriving  at  Carizo 
Creek.  The  points  named  are  where  deep  wells  have 
been  dug.  ' '  New  River, "  though  usually  set  down, 
is  a  dry  arroyo.  The  surface  of  the  desert  for  seven 
miles  on  the  eastern  side  is  drifting  sand  and  heavy 
for  wagons.  Then  comes  a  section  in  the  centre  of 
the  desert  that  is  hard  and  level.  On  the  west  side 
Ihere  is  about  three  miles  of  a  mud  flat. 

21.90.  Alamo  Rancho. 

16.40.  Little  Laguna. 


FOET  YUMA  TO   SAN  DIEGO.  303 


Miles. 
4.50.  New  River. 
5.80.  Big  Laguna. 

20.40.  Carizo  Creek. — Water  good;  cane  and  brush  for  fuel, 
and  they  afford  some  forage  for  the  animals;  no 
grass. 

16.60.   Vallecito. — Grass  poor;  wood  and  water  sufficient. 

1 7.80.   San  Felipe.  — Grass  poor ;  wood  scarce  ;  water  good. 

15.80.  Warner's  Ranch. — The  road  passes  through  a  beautiful 
oak  grove,  where  there  is  an  abundance  of  grass  and 
water.  This  is  the  summit  of  the  mountain.  At  the 
Ranch  the  grass  is  poor,  and  no  wood.  The  water 
is  good.  The  oak  grove  terminates  six  miles  from 
Warner's. 

10.30.  Santa  Isabel. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water.  This 
was  an  old  Spanish  mission,  but  is  now  occupied  by 
some  Americans  and  Indians. 

11.40.  Laguna. — Two  miles  from  last  camp  is  a  good  camp- 
ing-place. The  road  passes  over  some  steep  hills, 
not  high.     This  is  the  best  camp  on  the  road. 

12.00.  San  Pasquel. — For  the  first  nine  miles  the  road  is  level 
and  good  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  where  there  is  a 
good  camping-place,  with  wood,  water,  and  grass; 
thence  the  road  descends  a  very  steep  hill.  The  camp 
is  on  the  east  side  of  the  brook,  near  Soto's  house. 

18.80.  Parrasquitas. — The  road  passes  a  good  camp  three 
miles  from  San  Pasqual.  Wood,  Water,  and  grass  at 
Parrasquitas. 
8.00.  Fisher's  House. — The  road  passes  over  several  hills,  and 
at  four  miles  is  a  good  camping-place.  Wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass  at  camp. 
San  Diego,  California. — When  animals  are  to  be  kept 
a  considerable  time  at  San  Diego,  they  should  be 
taken  four  or  five  miles  up  the  river,  as  the  grass  is 
poor  near  the  town. 

Total  distance  from  Fort  Yuma  to  San  Diego,  217  miles. 


310         EL  PASO  TO  FOET  YUMA. 

XVI. — From  El  Paso ^  Neio  Mexico^  to  Fort  Yuma^ 
California^  via  Santa  Cruz, 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 

Jliles. 

Prom  El  Paso  to 

26.10,   Samalayuca. — Spring,  with  grass  and  wood. 

38.00.   Salado. — Bad  water,  with  little  grass  and  wood. 

24.75.   Santa  Maria. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 

27.50.  Mines  of  San  Pedro. — Bad  water ;  little  grass  or  water. 

19.20.  Correlitos. — Good  water,  grass,  and  wood.     ' 

20.00.  Janos. — Good  water,  grass,  and  wood. 

12.00.  Pelatudo. — Good  water,  grass,  and  wood. 

30.00.  San  Francisco. — Water  half  a  mile  south  of  the  road. 

18.00.   San  Louis. — Good  water,  grass,  and  wood. 

35.00.  San  Bernardino. — Good  water,  grass,  and  wood. 

30.00.  Ash  Creek. — Grass,  wood,  and  water. 

37.00.   Head  of  San  Pedro, — Grass  and  water. 

24.00,   Santa  Cruz. — Good  grass,  wood,  and  water. 

31.00,  Cocospe. — Much  grass;  10  or  12  miles  without  water. 
Leave  Santa  Cruz  River  at  old  Rancho  San  Lazaro. 
No  water  till  reaching  the  head  of  San  Ignacio,  ex- 
cept at  nine  miles,  a  spring  one  mile  west  of  the 
road. 

26.00.  Hemores. — From  Cocospe  to  Santa  Anna  follow  down 
the  San  Ignacio,  and  in  many  places  there  is  wood 
and  grass.     Grass  is  much  better  at  three  miles  from 
the  river.     At  the  foot  of  the  hills  there  is  an  abund- 
ance of  grama-grass. 
5.00.  Terrenati. 
4.00.   San  Ignacio. 
5.20.  Madina. 
5.20.   San  Lorenzo. 
2.60.   Santa  Marta. 
5.20.   Santa  Anna. 

26.00.  Alamita, — Plenty  of  grass.  Leave  the  river  10  or  12 
miles  from  Santa  Anna,  and  no  water  thence  to  Ala- 
mita, which  is  a  small  rancho, 

31.20.  Altar. — No  water;  grass  abundant. 

13.00.  Laguna. — Small  water-hole  ;  grass  scanty  and  poor. 

52.00.  Sonia. — Sometimes  water  is  found  25  miles  from  the 
Laguna,  south  of  the  road.  There  is  a  well  at  So- 
nia in  the  town,  and  sometimes  water  in  a  hole  300 
yards  south  of  the  town,  100  yards  west  of  the  road. 


WESTPOKT  TO   PIKE's   PEAK.  311 


Miles. 

10.40.  El  Paso. — ^Well  at  El  Paso  supplying  100  animals; 
water  muddy  and  brackish ;  grass  poor. 

52.00.  Sonorita. — No  water  on  the  road ;  at  Sonorita  are  sev- 
eral brackish  springs.  Grass  poor;  bad  camping- 
place  ;  saltpetre  at  the  springs. 
Quita  Oaquita. — No  water  on  the  road.  Saline  spring 
at  camp,  better  than  at  Sonorita,  but  the  grass  is  not 
so  good. 

10.40.  Agua  Salado. — Water  uncertain ;  grass  poor. 

23.40.  Los  Pleyes. — Water  only  in  the  rainy  season,  one  mile 
west  of  the  road,  hidden  by  bushes  and  difficult  to 
find.     Grass  pretty  good. 

28.60.  Cabeza  Prieta. — Natural  tenajas  in  a  ravine  two  miles 
from  the  road ;  follow  a  wagon-track  up  this  ravine 
between  a  black  and  a  red  mountain.  The  water  is 
good  and  abundant ;  grass  tolerable. 

SI. 00.  Poso. — No  water  on  the  road  until  reaching  Poso. 
Here  it  is  abundant  on  the  east  side  of  the  road; 
grass  good  one  mile  west. 

13.00.  Rio  Gila.— But  little  good  grass. 

26.00.  Fort  Yuma,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Colorado  Piver. — 
But  little  good  grass  for  several  miles. 

Total  distance  from  El  Paso  to  Fort  Yuma,  756  miles. 


XYII. — From  Westport^  Missouri^  to  the  gold  dig- 
gmgs  at  Pikers  Peak  aiid  '-'- Cherry  Creek^''  N. 
T.^  via  the  Arkansas  River. 

Miles. 

Westport  to 

41 .  Indian  Creek. — The  road  runs  over  a  beautiful  country. 
Indian  Creek  is  a  small  wooded  stream,  with  abund- 
ance of  grass  and  water. 

8f.  Cedar  Creek. — The  road  passes  over  a  fine  country,  and 
there  is  a  good  camping-place  at  Cedar  Creek. 

^\.  Bull  Creek. — The  road  is  smooth  and  level,  with  less 
wood  than  before.     Camping  good. 

^\.  Willov/  Springs. — At  nine  miles  the  road  passes  "Black 
Jack  Creek,"  where  there  is  a  good  camping-place. 
The  road  has  but  little  wood  upon  it  at  first,  but  it  in- 


'£S   PEAK  a. 

CHERRY   CREEK, 


313 

Miles. 

creases  toward  the  end  of  the  march.  The  road  is 
level  for  some  distance,  but  becomes  more  rolling,  and 
the  country  is  covered  with  the  finest  grass.  Good 
camp  at  one  mile  from  the  main  road. 

20^.  110-Mile  Creek. — The  road  traverses  the  same  character 
of  countiy  as  yesterday,  but  with  less  woodland,  is  very 
smooth,  and  at  9  and  12  miles  passes  "Rock  Creeks," 
which  have  no  running  water  in  a  dry  season.  Good 
camp. 

22i.  Prairie  Chicken  Creek. — At  eight  miles  the  road  crosses 
Dwissler  Creek,  which  is  a  fine  little  stream;  four 
miles  farther  First  Dragoon  Creek,  and  at  one  mile 
farther  the  Second  Dragoon  Creek,  both  fine  streams, 
well  wooded,  and  good  camping-places.  Good  camp. 
20.  "Big  Rock  Creek." — At  one  mile  the  road  crosses  a 
small  wooded  branch.  Three  miles  beyond  it  crosses 
"Elm  Creek,"  where  a  good  camping-place  may  be 
found.  At  7  miles  it  crosses  142-Mile  Creek,  and  at 
13  miles  it  crosses  Bluff  Creek,  where  there  is  a  good 
camping-place.  Good  camp. 
20.  "Council  Grove,"  on  "Elm  Creek. — Road  passes  "Big 
John  Spring"  at  13  miles,  and  is  smooth  and  good.  A 
fine  camp  is  found  three  fourths  of  a  mile  beyond  the 
"Grove,"  on  Elm  Creek,  with  abundance  of  wood, 
water,  and  grass. 
16.  Diamond  Spring. — At  eight  miles  the  road  crosses  Elm 
Creek,  and  passes  over  a  section  similar  to  that  east  of 
Council  Grove.  It  is  fine  in  dry  weather,  but  muddy 
after  heavy  rains.  Good  camp  at  Diamond  Spring. 
16.  Lost  Spring. — One  mile  from  camp  the  road  passes  a 
wooded  creek.  From  thence  there  is  no  more  wood 
or  permanent  water  until  arriving  at  camp.  Take 
wood  here  for  cooking,  as  there  is  not  a  tree  or  bush  in 
sight  from  Lost  Spring.  The  country  becomes  more 
level,  with  grass  every  where.  The  road  is  muddy  in 
wet  weather. 

15|.  Cottonwood  Creek. — Road  continues  over  a  prairie  coun- 
try, sensibly  rising  and  improving.  Wood,  water,  and 
grass  at  camp. 

22.  Turkey  Creek.— The  road  is  good,  and  at  18  miles  passes 

Little  Turkey  Creek.  No  wood,  and  the  water  poor 
at  camp ;  grass  good. 

23.  Little  Arkansas  River.— The  road  runs  over  a  level  prai- 


314 

Miles. 

rie,  and  at  3i  miles  passes  "Big  Turkey  Creek,"  with 
the  Arkansas  River  Valley  in  sight  all  day.  After 
rains  there  are  frequent  pools  of  water  along  the  road. 
Good  camp. 
20.  "Big  Cow"  Creek. — The  road  passes  for  ten  miles  over  a 
level  prairie  to  Charez  Creek,  which  is  a  bushy  gully ; 
thence  six  miles  to  Little  Cow  Creek,  which  is  a  brushy 
stream,  with  here  and  there  a  tree.  Good  camp  here 
to  the  left  of  the  road,  near  a  clump  of  trees.  "Prai- 
rie-dog towTis"  commence  to  be  seen.  Road  very  level. 
Buffalo-grass  here. 

20.  Big  Bend  of  the  Arkansas. — The  road  at  12  miles  strikes 

the  sand-hills  of  the  Arkansas  River.  They  are  soon 
passed,  however,  and  the  level  river  bottom  is  reached. 
The  river  has  a  rapid  current  flowing  over  a  quicksand 
bed.  The  road  is  generally  good  from  the  last  camp. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  at  camp. 
7.  Walnut  Creek. — The  road  is  good.  Cool  springs  at  this 
camp  ;  good  grass  and  wood. 

21.  Head  of  Coon  Creek. — At  five  miles  the  road  forks,  one 

following  the  river,  the  other  a  ' '  short  cut"  ' '  dry  route" 
to  Fort  Atkinson,  where  they  uaite  on  the  river.  The 
country  rises  for  ten  miles  on  the  dry  route,  then  de- 
scends to  the  river,  and  is  covered  with  the  short  buffa- 
lo-grass.    N-o  wood  at  camp. 

18.  Arkansas  River. — The  road  passes  over  an  undulating 

and  uninteresting  prairie,  with  but  little  vegetation. 
The  water  in  dry  weather  is  in  pools. 

19.  Arkansas  River,  at  Fort  Atkinson. — The  road  runs  over 

a  similar  country  to  that  of  yesterday,  with  no  wood 

near ;  plenty  of  buffalo-chips  for  cooking,  and  good  grass. 
18i.  Arkansas  River. — At  4|^  miles  the  road  ascends  a  bluff 

covered  with   thick   buffalo  -  grass.      On  the  river    is 

heavy  bottom-grass.     At  17  miles  pass  a  ford.     Grass 

good  at  camp. 
lOy.  Arkansas  River. — The  road  is  sandy  for  14  miles,  but  not 

deep  except  in  places;    thence  to  camp  it  is  good. 

Good  camp. 

22.  Arkansas  River. — Country  prairie,  covered  with   short 

buffalo-grass.     Good  camp. 
22.  Arkansas  River. — The  road  is  fine,  crossing  several  dry 
beds  of  creeks,  along  which  are  seen  a  few  scattering 
trees.     Good  camp  on  a  dry  creek  near  the  river. 


WESTPOET   TO   PIKE's    PEAK.  315 

Miles. 

24.  Arkansas  Biver. — The  road  runs  over  a  barren  plain  at 
the  foot  of  the  main  plateau,  and  crosses  two  dry  creeks 
near  the  camp,  on  which  are  cottonwood-trees.  Plenty 
of  wood  at  camp. 

21.  Arkansas  River. — The  road  follows  the  base  of  the  hills 
at  from  one  to  three  miles  from  the  river.  Good 
camp. 

20.  Arkansas  River. — At  seven  miles  the  road  strikes  the 
"Big  Timbers,"  where  there  is  a  large  body  of  cotton- 
wood  ;  thence  for  three  miles  the  road  is  heavy  sand. 
Good  camps  along  here. 

13.  Arkansas  River. — At  one  mile  the  road  passes  some  old 
houses  formerly  used  as  a  trading-post.  Here  termin- 
ates the  "Big  Timbers."     Coarse  grass  at  the  camp. 

15.  Arkansas  River. — At  three  miles  the  road  passes  the 
mouth  of  Purgatoire  Creek.  Camp  is  below  Bent's 
Fort.     Good  grass  here. 

24.  Arkansas  River. — Pass  Bent's  Fort.  The  grass  is  excel- 
lent in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  but  after  this  it  is  not  so 
good.  The  road  runs  over  a  high  and  considerably 
broken  country.     Good  camp. 

11.  Arkansas  River. — Opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Apishpa 

Creek ;  good  camp.  The  Huerfano  Mountains  and 
Spanish  Peaks  are  in  sight  from  the  camp.  The 
"  Cherokee  Trail"  comes  in  from  Arkansas  near  Bent's 
Fort,  and  leads  to  the  gold  diggings  at  Cherry  Creek. 
9.  Arkansas  River. — Opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Huerfano 
Creek.  Good  camp,  and  a  ford  opposite  Charles  Au- 
debee's  house. 

12.  Arkansas  River. — At  this  point  the  Cherokee  trail  bears 

to  the  right  and  leaves  the  river.  The  left-hand,  or 
river  road,  runs  up  to  the  old  pueblo  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Fontaine  qui  Bouille  Creek.  The  right-hand  road 
leads  to  the  gold  diggings. 

15|.  Fontaine  qui  Bouille. — The  road  strikes  in  a  northwest 
course  over  the  rolling  country,  and  comes  upon  the 
creek  at  a  most  beautiful  camp,  Avhere  there  is  a  great 
abundance  of  good  wood,  water,  and  grass.  The  wood, 
water,  and  grass  are  good  at  all  points  on  the  Fontaine 
qui  Bouille,  and  travelers  can  camp  any  where  upon 
this  stream. 

17^.  Fontaine  qui  Bouille. — Here  the  road  forks,  one  running 
up  the  river,  and  the  other  striking  directly  across  to 


316 


WESTPORT  TO   PIKE's   PEAK. 


SANGEE  DE  CEISTO  PA8& 


Miles. 


the  divide  of  the  Arkansas  and  Platte.  I  prefer  the 
left-hand  road,  as  it  has  more  water  and  better  grass 
npon  it. 
61.  Forks  of  the  "  Fontaine  qui  Bouille."— The  road  to  Cher- 
ry Creek  here  leaves  the  "Fontaine  qui  Bouille"  and 
bears  to  the  right.  There  is  a  large  Indian  trail  which 
crosses  the  main  creek,  and  takes  a  northwest  course 
toward  "Pike's  Peak."  By  going  up  this  trail  about 
two  miles  a  mineral  spring  will  be  found,  which  gives 
the  stream  its  name  of  "Tl^e  Fountain  that  Boils." 
This  spring,  or,  rather,  these  springs,  as  there  are  tw'o, 
both  of  which  boil  up  out  of  solid  rock,  are  among  the 
greatest  natural  curiosities  that  I  have  ever  seen.  The 
water  is  strongly  impregnated  with  salts,  but  is  delight- 
ful to  the  taste,  and  somewhat  similar  to  the  Congress- 


317 

Miles. 

water.  It  will  well  compensate  any  one  for  the  trouble 
of  visiting  it. 
17i.  Black  Squirrel  Creek. — This  creek  is  near  the  crest  of 
the  high  divide  between  the  Arkansas  and  Platte  Rivers. 
It  is  a  small  running  branch,  but  always  affords  good 
water.  There  is  pine  timber  here,  and  the  grass  is 
good  on  the  prairies  to  the  east.  This  is  a  locality 
which  is  very  subject  to  severe  storms,  and  it  was  here 
that  I  encountered  the  most  severe  snow-storm  that  I 
have  ever  known,  on  the  first  day  of  May,  1858.  I 
would  advise  travelers  to  hasten  past  this  spot  as  rap- 
idly as  possible  during  the  winter  and  spring  months, 
as  a  storm  might  prove  very  serious  here. 
14.  Near  the  head  of  Cherry  Creek. — The  road  crosses  one 
small  branch  at  fom'  miles  from  Black  Squirrel  Creek ; 
it  then  takes  up  to  an  elevated  plateau,  which  in  a  rainy 
season  is  very  muddy.  The  camp  is  at  the  first  timber 
that  is  found,  near  the  road,  to  the  left.  There  is  plenty 
of  wood,  water,  and  grass  here.  There  is  also  a  good 
camping-place  at  the  small  branch  that  is  mentioned. 

10.  On  CheiTy  Creek. — There  is  good  grass,  wood,  and  wa- 

ter throughout  the  valley  of  Cherry  Creek.  The  mount- 
ains are  from  five  to  ten  miles  distant,  on  the  left  or 
west  of  the  road,  and  when  I  passed  there  was  a  great 
abundance  of  elk,  deer,  antelope,  bear,  and  turkeys 
throughout  this  section. 
7.  On  Cherry  Creek. — Good  camp. 

11.  On  Cherry  Creek. — Good  camp. 

17.  Mouth  of  Cherry  Creek,  at  the  South  Platte.  — Good 
camp,  and  a  town  built  up  since  I  passed,  called  '■'Den- 
ver City.'''' 

Total  distance  from  Westport  to  the  gold  diggings,  685  i 
miles. 


318     ST.  Paul's  to  foet  wallah  wallah. 

XVlll.— Mom   St.  PauVs,  Min.,  to  Fort  Wallah 
Wallah^  Oregon. 

Miles. 

St.  Paul's  to 
17i.   Small  Brook. — The  wood,  water,  and  grass  are  abundant 

as  far  as  the  ' '  Bois  des  Sioux"  River. 
20i.   Cow  Creek. — Tliis  stream  is  crossed  on  a  bridge. 
23i.   Small  Lake. — North  of  the  road.     The  road  passes  over 

a  rolling  prairie,  and  crosses  Elk  River  on  a  bridge. 

17.  Near  Sauk  Rapids. — The  road  crosses  Elk  River  twice 

on  bridges  ;   Mississippi  River  near. 

18.  Russel's. — Ferry  across  the  Mississippi  River,  then  follow 

the  Red  River  trail.     Camp  is  on  a  cold  spring  brook. 
6.  Cold  Spring  Brook. — Cross  Sauk  River,  300  feet  wide,  41- 
feet  deep. 
19^.  Lake  Henry. — Road  good. 

18f .  Lightning  Lake. — Cross  Cow  River  in  a  ferry-boat ;  wa- 
ter 42-  feet  deep. 
17i.  Lake. — One  mile  from  Red  River  trail.      Pass  White 

Bean  Lake. 
^\.  Pike  Lake. — Pass  the  South  Branch  of  the  Chippeway 
River.     Road  runs  over  rolling  prairie,  and  crosses  a 
small  branch. 
19i.  Small  Lake. — Cross  Chippeway  River  in  a  boat.     Road 
passes  numerous  lakes  and  the  best  grass. 
9 1.   Small  Lake. — Road  passes  rolling  prairies,  and  crosses 

Rabbit  River. 
27.    "Bois  des  Sioux"  River. — Cross  Bois  des  Sioux  Prairie ; 

rolling  ground. 
11.  Wild  Rice  River.— Cross  "Bois  des  Sioux"  River,  70  feet 
wide  and  4  to  7  feet  deep,  muddy  bottom  and  banks. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  at  all  camps  between  this  and 
Maple  River. 
4I-.  Small  Creek.— Cross  Wild  Rice  River  on  a  bridge. 
26j.   Sheyene  River. — Smooth  prairie  road. 
16^.  Maple  River.— Cross  Sheyene  River  on  a  bridge,  and  sev- 
eral small  branches. 
20.   Small  Creek. — Smooth  road;  no  wood. 
20.  Pond. — Wet  and  marshy ;  numerous  ponds  in  sight ;  no 

wood. 
15.  Pond. — No  wood ;  approaching  Sheyene  River. 
13i-.   Sheyene  River. — Prairie  more  rolling ;  camp  in  the  river 
bottom.     Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 


ST.  Paul's  to  fokt  wallah  wallah.  319 


7.   Slough. — Cross  Slieyene  River,  50  feet  wide,  3^-  feet  deep. 

No  wood. 
10.  Lake. — Rolling  prairie,  with  many  marshes.     "Wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass. 
101^.  Pond. — Low,  wet  prairie;  no  wood ;  plenty  of  grass  and 

water. 
18ir.  Marsh. — Smooth  prairie,  generally  dry. 
20.    "Riviere  a  Jaques." — Smooth   prairie,  with   marshes. 

Road  crosses  the  river  several  times.     Wood,  water,  and 

grass. 
21^.  Pond. — Hilly  and  marshy  prairie,  with  small  ponds,  and 

no  wood. 
12.   Small  Branch. — Marshy  prairie,  filled  with  ponds,  with  a 

thin,  short  grass,  and  no  wood. 
19f.  Lake. — On  a  high  knoll.     Road  crosses  the  South  Fork 

of  Sheyene  River ;  good  crossing ;  thence  rolling  prai- 
rie, passing  "Balto  de  Morale,"  also  a  narrow  lake  4^ 

miles  long. 
161.  Pond. — Marshy  prairie,  ponds,  and  knolls  ;  cross  a  small 

branch  at  7f  miles.     No  wood. 
17i^.  Pond. — Rolling  prairie.     Cross  Wintering  River,  a  deep, 

miuddy  stream  100  feet  wide,  also  marshy  prairies  and 

ponds.     No  wood. 
16.  Small  Branch. — Tributary  of  Mouse  River.     Road  skirts 

the  valley  of  Mouse  River,  crossing  the  ravines  near 

their  heads. 
151.  Pond. — Undulating  prairie  with  occasional  marshes ;  the 

road  then  turns  up  the  high  ridge  called  "Grand  Co- 

teau."     No  wood. 
201^.  Lake.  —  Hilly   road    approaching   Grand  Coteau.      No 

wood. 
20.  Lake. — Rolling  prairie;   smooth,  good  road;  no  wood. 
ISj.  Pond. — Road  passes  Grand  Coteau  at  11  miles,  and  nms 

between  two  lakes.     No  wood,  but  plenty  of  "  bois  de 

vache"  for  fuel. 
19^.  Branch  of  White  Earth  River.  — Country  rolling  and  hilly. 

Road  passes  wood  at  eight  miles  from  camp. 
23i.  Pond. — For  two  miles  the  road  passes  over  a  low,  flat 

country,  after  which  the  country  is  hilly.     No  wood. 
23^.  Pond.  — Rolling  and  hilly  country,  with  rocky  knobs.    At 

18  miles  cross  branch  of  Muddy  Creek  15  feet  wide. 

Wood  in  ravines  near  this  stream.     No  wood  at  camp. 
20.  Pond. — Rolling  country.     At  11  miles  there  is  water  in 


Miles. 

a  ravine.     To  the  left  there  is  more  water,  but  the 

country  is  rough.     No  wood. 
IQi.  Fort  Union. — Koad  descends  a  hill  to  the  fort;  before 

this  it  passes  over  high,  firm  prairie.     Good  grass  near 

in  the  hills. 
Gk'  Pond. — No  wood;  good  grass. 
6.  Little  Muddy  Kiver. — Good  camp. 
15i.  Creek.  —  Two  good  camps  between  this  and  the  last. 

Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

10.  Big  Muddy  Kiver. — Drift-wood  for  fuel. 

11.  Marsh  near  Missouri. — Good  camp. 

18.  Poplar  River. — Good  camp.     One  or  two  good  camps  be- 
tween this  and  the  last  camp. 
23i.  Creek  near  Missouri. — Good  camp. 

15.  Slough  near  Missouri. — Good  camp. 

171.  Milk  River. — One  good  camp  between  this  and  the  last 

camp. 
13i.   Milk  River. — Several  good  camps  passed. 
17^^.  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 
19i.  Milk  River. — Several  good  camps  passed. 
171.  Milk  River. — At  the  crossing.     The  road  follows  a  trail 
on  the  bluffs,  and  descends  again  to  the  river. 
7i.  Lake. — No  wood  ;  grass  and  water  plenty. 
12i.  Milk  River. — Second  crossing.     Good  camp. 

12.  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 

15i.  Milk  River. — Good  camps  between  this  and  the  last  camp. 
lOf.  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 
20.  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 

16.  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 

18.  Milk  River. — At  the  third  crossing. — Good  camp. 
7i.  Branch  of  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 
17i.  Branch  of  Milk  River. — Several  good  camps  between 
this  and  the  last  camp. 
6.  Branch  of  Milk  River. — Good  camp. 
19i.  Prairie  Spring. — No  wood ;  water  and  grass  plenty. 
13f .  Teton  River. — Road  crosses  "  Marias  River." 
8f .  Teton  River,  at  Fort  Benton. — A  trading-post. 
2i.  Small  Creek. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
181.  Missouri  River. — Good  camp. 
20l.  Missouri  River. — Above  the  falls.     Road  much  broken 

into  ravines.     "Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
16f .  Missouri  River. — Road  crosses  first  tributary  above  Fort 
Benton  at  ten  miles. 


ST.  Paul's  to  fokt  wallah  avallah.      321 

Miles. 
17.  Missouri  River. — The  road  becomes  very  bad  after  four- 
teen miles,  but  is  better  on  the  north  side  of  the  Mis- 
souri. 
6.  Missouri  River. — The  road  is   exceedingly  rough   and 
broken ;    crosses  the  river.  —  Good  wood,  water,  and 
grass. 
11.  Tributary  of  the  Missouri. — The  most  difficult  part  of  the 
road  is  passed,  but  the  country  is  still  hilly. 

18  J.  Tributary  of  the  Missouri. — The  road  follows  up  the  last- 

mentioned  stream  to  near  its  head.     Good  camps. 
15.  Near  the  summit  of  Little  Blackfoot  Pass,  on  a  broad  In- 
dian trail ;   excellent  road. 

llf.  Little  Blackfoot  River. — Road  crosses  the  summit  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  Good  road  for  wagons,  with  many 
camping-places. 

17^.  Little  Blackfoot  River. — Road  good,  descending  along 
the  river.     Near  the  camp  a  large  fork  comes  in. 

281^.  Little  Blackfoot  River. — Good  road,  which  follows  the 
broad,  open  valley  for  14  miles.     Good  camps. 

19  J.  Little  Blackfoot  River.  — The  valley  contracts  so  that 

wagons  will  be  forced  to  take  the  bed  of  the  river  in 

some  places.    The  river  is  fordable,  and  the  trail  crosses 

it  five  times  during  the  day. 
22^.  Blackfoot  River,  —  Sixteen    miles   from  the  last   camp 

"  Blackfoot"  and  "Hell  Gate"  Rivers  enter,  and  about 

one  mile  of  this  distance  is  impassable  for  wagons ; 

they  would  have  to  cross  the  river,  which  is  fordable. 

Good  camps. 
27^^.  Fort  Owen. — Road  runs  up  the  St.  Mary's  River  to  Fort 

Owen  over  a  broad,  good  trail  in  the  valley. 
40.   St.  Mary's  River. — The  south  Nez  Perces  trail  leaves  the 

main  trail,  which  ascends  the  St.  Mary's  Valley  to  the 

Forks,  and  follows   the  southwest  fork  to  its  source. 

To  the  Forks  the  valley  of  the  St.  Mary's  is  open,  and 

admits  wagons. 
24.  Southwest  Fork  of  St.  Mary's  River.— The  road  follows 

a  narrow  trail,  crossing  the  river  frequently,  and  is  not 

passable  for  wagons.     The  valley  is  narrow,  and  shut 

in  by  hills. 
5^.  Kooskooskia  River, — Road  leaves  the  St.  Mary's  River, 

passing  over  a  high  ridge  to  the  Kooskooskia  River. 
10.   Branch. — Road  runs  over  wooded  hills. 
14,   Creek, — Road  runs  over  wooded  hillb. 

X 


Miles. 

9.  Small  Creek, — This  is  the  best  camp  between  the  St. 
Mary's  River  and  the  Nez  Perces  country. 
15.    Small  Creek. — Road  passes  over  Avooded  hills. 

-  9.   Small  Branch. — Road  passes  over  wooded  hills,  is  very 

rough  and  difficult.     Poor  camp. 
14.   Small  Creek. — Ten  miles  from  last  camp  the  road  passes 
a  high  divide,  ascending  rapidly,  though  not  difficult. 
Good  grass  on  the  summit,  but  no  water. 
13.   Small  Creek. — Good  camp  where  the  trail  emerges  from 
the  woods  on  to  the  high  plateau. 
7.   Clear  Water  River. — Large  tributary.     Road  runs  over 
high  table-laud,  and  descends  to  the  valley  of  the  river. 
43.  Lapwai  River. — The  road  folloAvs  a  broad  trail  down  the 
river  six  miles,  when  it  leaves  the  river  bottom  and  as- 
cends the  plateau,  which  extends  to  Craig's  house,  on 
the  Lapwai,  fifteen  miles  from  the  river. 
23.  Tributary  Snake  River. — The  trail  runs  over  high  ground 
from  Craig's  to  Lapwai  River,  15  miles.     This  river  is 
450  feet  wide.     No  wood.     Indians  are  generally  found 
here,  who  feriy  over  travelers.     The  trail  follows  Snake 
River  for  several  miles. 

26i.  Tchannon  River. — The  trail  passes  5^  miles  up  the  bot- 
tom of  a  small  creek ;  then  runs  over  a  steep  hill  to 
another  small  creek,  8  miles ;  then  along  the  valley  of 
this  stream  10|^  miles ;  thence  over  a  high  hill  to  camp 
on  Tchannon  River,  3  miles. 

lli^.  Touchet  River. — The  trail  crosses  the  Tchannon  River, 
and  ascends  to  a  high  plain,  which  continues  to  camp. 

32^^.  Touchet  River. — Road  follows  a  good  trail  along  the  val- 
ley, where  good  camps  are  found  any  where,  with  wood, 
water,  and  grass. 

19^.  Fort  Wallah  Wallah.— Leaving  Touchet  River,  the  trail 
passes  over  again  to  the  plains,  when  there  is  neither 
wood,  Avater,  or  grass  to  Fort  Wallah  Wallah. 

Total  distance  from  St.  Paul's  to  Fort  Union 7121^  miles. 

"  "    Fort  Union  to  Fort  Benton....     377i  " 

"  "    Fort  Benton  to  Fort  Owen....     255  '' 

"  "    Fort    Owen   to   Fort  Wallah 

Wallah 3401  " 

Total  distance  from  St.  Paul's,  Min.,  to  Fort  Wal 

lah  Wallah,  Oregon 1685*  " 


ALBUQUERQUE  TO  THE  COLORADO.      323 

XIX. — Lieutenant  E.  F.  Beale's  route  from  Albu- 
querque to  the  Colorado  River. 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 
Miles. 

Albuquerque  to 
2.10.  Atrisco. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
20.63.  Rio  Puerco, — Water  in  pools;  wood  and  grass. 
19.41.  Near  Puta. — Abundance  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

13.12.  Covera. — Water  and  grass  abundant;  wood  scarce. 
13.06.  Hay  Camp. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  plenty. 
25.37.  Agua  Frio. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  plenty. 

16.28.  Inscription   Rock. — Small    spring;    grass    and  wood 

plenty. 
16.32.  Ojo  del  Pescado.— Water  and  grass  plenty;  wood  for 

camp. 

15.13.  Zuni. — Grass  and  water  plenty;  wood  scarce. 
6.19.  Indian  Well. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

14.43.  No.  1. — Wood  and  grass ;  no  water. 

11.93.  Jacob's  Well. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

6.57.  No.  2,  Navajo  Spring. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

13.62.  Noon   Halt. — Water   by   digging;    grass    and  wood 
scarce. 

6.13.  No.  3.— Grass  abundant. 

7.75.  Noon  Halt. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 

7.25.  No.  4. — Water  in  holes;  grass  and  fuel  plenty. 

3.60.  Three  Lakes. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

1.75.  Crossing  Puerco. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant  as 
far  as  Leroux  Spring. 

11.25.  No.  5. 

18.50.  No.  6. 

10.17.  No.  7. 

13.25.  No.  8. 

19.35.  Canon  Diablo. 

14.75.  No.  10. 

13.50.  Near  Cosnino  Caves. 

17.32.  San  Francisco  Spring. 

9.06.  Leroux  Spring. 

8.48.  No.  13. — Wood  and  grass,  but  no  water. 
11.13.  Breckenridge  Spring.— Wood,  water,  and  grass  abund- 
ant. 

8.07.  No.  14. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 
6.50.   Cedar  Spring. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 

10.50.  No.  15. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 


324  ALBUQUEKQUE  TO   SAN   PEDKO. 

Miles. 

10.75.  Alexander's   Canon. — Wood   and   grass   plenty;    not 
much  water. 

8.05.  Smith's  Spring. — "Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 
8.75.  Pass  Dornin. — Wood  and  grass  abundant ;  no  water. 

13.50.  No.  19. — Wood  and  grass  abundant;  no  water. 

16.35.  No.  20. — Water  two  miles  from  camp ;  wood  and  grass 
plenty. 

4.06.  Hemphill's  Spring. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 
21.25.  No.  21. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 

9.75.  No.  22. — Wood  and  grass;  spring  one  mile  distant. 

5.50.  No.  23. — Wood  and  grass  plenty;  no  water. 

8.45.  No.  24. — Wood  and  grass;  spring  three  miles  off. 

16.75.  No.  25. — Wood  and  grass ;  no  water. 

7.25.  Sabadras  Spring. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

13,25.  No.  26. — Wood;  no  grass  or  water. 

8.75.  Spring. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

1.25.  No.  27. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

3.17.  No.  28. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

1.25.  No.  29. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

3.11.  No.  30. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

3.25.  No.  31. — East  bank  of  Colorado  River;  wood. 

No.  32. — West  bank ;  water  and  grass  abundant. 


XX. —  Captain  Whipple's  Route  from  Albuquer- 
que^ N'eio  Mexico^  to  San  Pedro^  California. 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 


Miles. 


Albuquerque  to 
0.88.  Atrisco. — Permanent  running  water. 
12.16.  Isleta. — Permanent  running  water. 
22.78.  Rio  Puerco. — Water  in  holes.  ^ 
18.30.  Rio  Rita. — Permanent  running  water. 
13.77.  Covera.—  "  " 

14.66.  Hay  Camp.—      " 
17.71.   Sierra  Madre. — No  water 


8.06 
17.49 


Agua  Frio.  — Permanent  running  water. 
xi.-c./.  Inscription  Rock. — El  Moro.     Permanent  springs. 
14.23.  Ojo  del  Pescado. — Permanent  springs. 
11.74.  Zuni. — Permanent  running  water. 
8.83.  Arch  Spring. — Permanent  spring. 


'I 


ilill'l' 


ALBUQUERQUE  TO   SAN   PEDrwO. 


327 


Miles. 

10.77. 

10.69. 

7.0-t. 
12.13. 
10.87. 
11.59. 
11.99. 
14.42. 

8.63. 

4.94. 

1.35. 

4.90. 
10.99. 
15.88. 

4.44. 

1.51. 
29.72. 
11.81. 

10.46. 

8.23. 

6.17. 

8.54. 

9.77. 

9.89. 
13.26. 

3.89. 
13.52. 

0.87. 

7.45. 

8.69. 

5.71. 

6.67. 

5.98. 

5.80. 
12.16. 

0.30. 
11.29. 

9.64. 

7.97. 
11.60. 
12.83. 

9.21. 


— No  water. 

Jacob's  Well. — Permanent  water-hole. 

Navajo  Spring. — Permanent  springs. 

Willow  Creek. — Rio  de  la  Jara.     Water  in  holes. 

Rio  Puerco  of  the  West. — Water  in  holes. 

Lithodendron  Creek. — Permanent  running  water. 

Colorado  Chiquito. —  " 


Colinino  Caves. — Permanent  water-holes. 

Near  San  Francisco  Spring. — No  water ;  water  4  miles 

from  camp. 
Leroux's  Spring. — Permanent  water. 

— No  water. 

— No  water. 

New  Year's  Spring. — Permanent  spring. 
Lava  Creek. — Water  in  hole. 
Cedar  Creek. — Water  in  holes. 
Partridge  Creek. — Water  in  holes. 


Picacho  Creek. —  " 

— No  water. 

Turkey  Creek. — Permanent  running  water. 
Pueblo  Creek.—  "  " 

"  —  "         water  in  holes. 


Canon  Creek. - 


-Water  in  holes. 


Cactus  Pass. — Permanent  running  water. 
White  Cliff  Creek. — Permanent  running  water. 
Big  Horn  Springs. — Permanent  spring. 
MoiTth  of  Canon  Creek. — Permanent  running  water. 
"  Big  Sandy"  Creek.— 


328 


ALBUQUEKQUE   TO    SAN    PEDKO. 


Miles. 
4.35. 
6.21. 
4.08. 
CIO. 
5.56. 
6.44. 

6.52. 

8.97. 

6.85. 

7.22. 

3.90. 

8.69. 

4.33. 

4.74. 

5.02. 
-  9.06. 
11.39. 
29.87. 

1.02. 

9.46. 


CAMOa  OX  liUX.  AVnj.IAMS'S  FORK. 

"Big  Sandy"  Creek. — Pemtiancnt  running  water. 


Month  of  Big  Sandy  Creek. — Permanent  running  wa- 
ter as  far  as  the  Colorado  River. 
Rio  Santa  Maria. 


Mouth  of  Rio  Santa  Maria. 
On  Colorado  River. 


Mojave  Villages. 

Crossing  of  the  Colorado  River. 


ALBUQUERQUE  TO   SAN   PEDRO. 


329 


ABTILLEKY  PE.\K. 


Miles, 
0.33. 
2.78. 

20.71. 


9.00. 

13.00. 
7.00. 


19.00. 


On  Colorado  Eiver. 

On  Colorado  River.  ,     ^  , 

—The  road,  on  leaving  the  Colorado,  runs  up 

"over  a  gravelly  ridge  to  a  barren  niesa,  and  descends 
the  bed  of  the  Mojave  4  or  5  miles  above  its  mouth, 
and  at  9t  miles  it  passes  springs  near  the  point  where 
the  road  turns  around  the  western  base  of  a  mount- 
ain. There  is  no  water  at  the  camp,  but  grass  in  an 
arroya.  j      x 

Pai-Ute  Creek.— This  is  a  fine  stream,  with  good  water 
and  grass.  -,  ,     j-     • 

Arroyo.— Grass  and  wood ;  water  is  found  by  digging. 

Fine  Spring.— Good  water  and  grass.  The  wagon- 
road  passes  around  the  hills,  but  an  Indian  trail  leads 
through  the  ravine  where  the  sirring  is. 

Marl  Spring.— This  is  a  small  but  constant  spring ;  ex- 
cellent grass,  and  greasewood  for  fuel. 


330       ALBUQUERQUE  TO  SAN  PEDRO. 

Miles. 

30.00.  Lake. — The  road  follows  a  ridge  for  some  distance, 
then  descends  to  an  arroyo,  and  in  a  few  miles 
emerges  into  a  sandy  plain,  where  there  is  the  dry 
bed  of  a  lake,  which  is  firm,  and  makes  a  smooth, 
good  road.  The  camp  is  at  some  marshy  pools  of 
water.     Good  grass,  and  greasewood  for  fuel. 

12.00.  Mojave  River. — Road  passes  through  a  valley  of  drifted 
sand,  and  at  the  camp  strikes  the  river,  which  is  here 
a  beautiful  stream  of  fresh  water,  10  to  12  feet  wide 
and  a  foot  deep,  with  a  hard,  gravelly  bottom.  Grass 
in  the  hills  near. 

13.00.  Mojave  River. — The  road  ascends  the  river,  the  banks 
of  which  are  covered  with  fine  grass  and  mesquite 
wood.     Good  camps  along  here. 

20.00.  Mojave  River. — The  road  leads  up  the  river  for  a  short 
distance,  when  it  turns  into  an  arroyo,  and  ascends  to 
a  low  mesa,  and  continues  along  the  border  of  alevel 
prairie  covered  with  fine  bunch-grass.  It  then  en- 
ters the  river  bottom  again,  which  is  here  several 
miles  wide,  and  well  wooded.     Grass  good. 

20.00.  Mojave  River. — Six  miles  from  camp  the  road  strikes 
the  Mormon  road,  and  crosses  the  stream  near  a 
Mormon  camping-place.  The  trail  runs  along  the 
river,  which  gets  larger  and  has  more  timber  on  its 
banks  as  it  is  ascended.  Good  grass,  wood,  and 
water. 

22.00.  Mojave  River. — A  short  distance  from  camp  the  valley 
contracts,  but  the  road  is  good.  It  leaves  the  valley 
and  crosses  a  gravelly  ridge,  but  enters  it  again. 
Good  gi-ass,  wood,  and  water. 

15.00.  Mojave  River. — Road  continues  along  the  right  bank 
of  the  river,  in  a  southwest  course,  and  crosses  the 
river  at  camp.     Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

29.50.  Cajon  Creek. — The  road  leaves  the  river  at  the  cross- 
ing, and  runs  toward  a  break  in  the  San  Bernardino 
Mountains ;  it  ascends  a  sharp  hill  and  enters  a  ce- 
dar thicket ;  it  then  ascends  to  the  summit  of  the 
Cajon  Pass;  thence  over  a  spur  of  the  mountains 
into  an  arroyo  or  creek  in  a  ravine ;  thence  along 
the  dry  channel  of  the  Cajon  Creek  for  two  miles, 
where  the  water  begins  to  run,  and  from  thence  the 
road  is  rough  to  camp. 
7.00.  Cajon   Creek.  — Road  continues   along  the  creek  to 


FOET   YUMA   TO   BENICIA. 


331 


^^''  camp,  and  is  rough.  Wood,  water,  and  grass  at 
camp.  - 

20  00  Cocamonga's  Ranch.— On  a  pretty  stream  of  running 
"  '  water.  The  road  runs  for  six  miles  down  the  Cajou 
Creek,  along  its  steep  and  rocky  bed.  It  is  here  a 
good-sized  stream.  Captain  Whipple's  road  here 
leaves  the  San  Bernardino  road,  and  turns  to  the  west 
along  the  base  of  the  mountains  toward  Los  Angeles ; 
it  then  crosses  a  prairie  and  strikes  the  ranch  of  Co- 
camonga.     Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

24  00  Town  of  El  Monte.— The  road  runs  upon  the  northern 
border  of  a  basin  which  is  watered  by  many  small 
streams,  and  is  settled.  The  camp  is  on  the  pretty 
stream  of  San  Gabriel,  where  there  is  a  good  camp- 
ing-place. •,      ,T-     •  C 

14  25.  City  of  Los  Angeles.— The  road  passes  the  Mission  of 
San  Gabriel,  then  enters  a  ravine  among  hills  and 
broken  ground;  it  then  descends  and  crosses  the 
river  which  waters  the  valley,  and  enters  the  city. 
There  is  a  good  camp  upon  the  point  of  a  ridge  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  river. 

23.00.  San  Pedro.— Good  camp. 


XXI  —Fro7n  Fort  Yuma  to  Benicia,  California. 
From  Lieutenant  R.  S.  Williamson's  Report. 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 

Fort  Yuma,  on  Rio  Colorado,  to 

6.51.  Pilot  Knob. 

5.06.  Algodones. 
11.18.  Cook's  Wells. 
21.11.  Alamo  Mocho. 
14.16.  Little  Laguna. 

l'-92'  !o?k^of  Ro;d.-The  left-hand  road  leads  to  San  Die- 
"■     ■       go,  139.94  miles,  the  right-hand  to  San  Francisco. 
17.62.  Salt  Creek. 

28.94.  Water  in  the  Desert.— Below  point  of  rocks. 
12.60.  Cohuilla  Village. 
15.82.  Deep  Well. 


332  FORT   YUMA   TO   BENICIA. 

Mile.=i. 

10.62.  Hot  Spring. 
7.36.  East  base  of  San  Gorgonio  Pass 

18.29,  Summit  of  Pass. 

27.10.  San  Bernardino. — Mormon  town. 

17.60.  Sycamore  Grove. 

14.00.  Qui-qual-mun-go  Ranch. 

26.60.  San  Gabriel  River. — At  crossing. 

G.70.  Mission  of  San  Gabriel. 

9.00.  Los  Angeles. 

10.20.  Cahuengo  Ranch. — At  the  crossing  of  a  branch  of  Los 

Angeles  River. 

10. 70.  Mission  of  San  Fernando. 

5.90.  Summit  of  San  Fernando  Pass. 

7.15.  Santa  Clara  River,  southeast  fork. 

15.80.  Summit  of  Coast  Range. — In  San  Francisquito  Pass. 

18.00.  Eastern  base  of  Sierra  Nevada. 

6.70.  Summit  of  Tajon  Pass. 

13. 10.  Depot  Camp  in  the  Tajon. 

31.00.  Kern  River. — At  the  crossing. 

10.80.  De'pot  Camp  on  Pose  Creek,  or  "0-co-ya." 

24.30.  White  Creek. 
14.90.  More's  Creek. 

5.10.  Tule' River. 
22.00.  Deep  Creek. — Deep  Creek  is  the  first  of  four  creeks, 
crossed  by  the  wagon-road,  into  which  the  "  Pi-pi- 
yu-na"  divides  itself  after  emerging  from  the  Sierra. 
These  streams  are  commonly  known  as  the  "Four 
Creeks." 
0.29.  Cameron  Creek. — The  second  of  the  "Four  Creeks." 
3.30.  Kah-wee-ya  River. — The  third  and  principal  one  of  the 

"Four  Creeks." 
0. 89.  St.  John's  Creek.— The  last  of  the  "Four  Creeks."    At 
the  crossing. 
28.13.  Pool's  Ferry.— On  King's  River. 
12.32.   Slough  of  King's  River. 

25.73.  Fort  Miller.— On  San  Joaquin  River,  in  the  foot-hills 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 
9.40.  Cottonwood  Creek. 
7.72.  Fresno  River. 
12.15.  Chowchilla  River. — Sometimes  knoAvn  as  "Big  Mari- 
posa." 
10.39.   Mariposa  River. 
6.03.   Bear  Creek. 


FOKT   BEIDGER   TO    CAMP   FLOYD.  333 

Miles. 

18.33.  Merced  River. 
18.87.  Davis's  Feny. — Tuolumne  River. 
28.85.   Grayson. — A  ferry  on  the  San  Joaquin  River. 
27.54:.  Elk  Horn. — The  distance  is  by  the  wagon-road,  and  is 
circuitous. 

6.90.   Summit  of  Livermore  Pass. 

7.20.  Egress  from  Livermore  Pass. 
40.42.  Martinez. — On  the  Straits  of  Carquives,  opposite  Be- 
nicia,  California. 

Total  distance  from  Fort  Yimia  to  Benicia,  800.45  miles. 


XXII. — A  new  route  fro7n  Fort  Bridger  to  Camp 
Floyd^  opened  by  Captain  J.  H.  Siimpson,  U.S.A., 

in  1858. 

Miles. 

Fort  Bridger  to 
6.  Branch  of  Black's  Fork. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
7i.   Cedar  on  Bluffs  of  Muddy, — Grass  and  wood  all  the  way 
up  the  ravine  from  the  Muddy,  and  water  at  intervals. 
5|.  Last  water  in  ravine  after  leaving  the  Muddy. — Wood, 

water,  and  grass. 
51 .  East  Branch  of  Sulphur  Creek. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
Junction  of  Fort  Supply  road. 
\.  Middle  Branch  of  Sulphur  Creek.  —  Sage,  water,  and 

grass. 
3.  West  Branch   of  Sulphur  Creek. — Willow,  water,  and 
grass ;  spring  a  mile  below. 
h\.  East  Branch  of  Bear  River. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

i.  Middle  Branch  of  Bear  River. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
2t.  Main  Branch  of  Bear  River. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
9i.  First  Camp  on  White  Clay  Creek. — Wood,  water,  and 

grass. 
6i.  White  Clay  Creek. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
15.  White  Clay  Creek. — Good  camps  all  along  the  valley  of 
White  Clay  Creek, 
f .  Commencement  of  Canon. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
\.  White  Clay  Creek. — Good  camps  all  along  the  valley  of 

White  Clay  Creek  to  the  end  of  the  lower  cafion. 
12.  Weber  River. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 


334       FORT  THOENE  TO  FOKT  YUMA. 

Miles. 

6.  Parley's  Park  Road. — Wood,  water,  and  grass.      Pass 
over  the  divide. 
3|.   Silver  Creek. — Willows,  water,  and  grass. 
6.  Timpanogos   Creek. — Wood,  water,  and  grass.      Cross 

over  the  divide. 
1.  Commencement  of  Canon. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
2i^.  Cascade  in  Canon. — Good  camps  at  short  intervals  all 
along  Timpanogos  Canon. 
4i.  Mouth  of  Canon. — Wood  and  water. 
6i.  Battle  Creek  Settlement. — Purchase  forage. 
3i.  American  Fork  Settlement. — Purchase  forage. 

3.  Lehi  (town). — Purchase  forage.     Grass  near. 
2i.  Bridge  over  Jordan. — Grass  and  water ;  wood  in  the  hills 

li  miles  distant. 
14.  Camp  Floyd. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

Total  distance  from  Fort  Bridger  to  Camp  Floyd,  155  miles. 


Note. — Captain  Simpson  says  this  wagon -route  is  far  supe- 
rior to  the  old  one  in  respect  to  grade,  wood,  water,  and  grass, 
and  in  distance  about  the  same. 


XXIII. — I^roni  Fort  Thorne^  Neio  Mexico^  to  Fort 
Yuma,  California. 

[Distances  in  miles  and  hundredths  of  a  mile.] 
Miles. 

Fort  Thorne,  N.  M.,  to 
14.30.  Water  Holes. — One  mile  west  of  hole  in  rock.     Water 

uncertain ;  no  wood. 
9. 19.  Mule  Creek. — Water  at  all  seasons  a  little  up  the  creek ; 

wood  plenty. 
12.00.  Cook's  Spring. — Water  sufficient  for  camping;  mes- 

quite  bushes  on  the  hills. 
19.50.  Rio  Mimbres. — Water  and  wood  abundant. 
16.30.   Ojo  de  la  Vaca. — Water  and  wood. 
12.00.  Spring. — Constant  small  streams  two  miles  up  the 

canon  ;  water  at  the  road  uncertain. 
44.40.  Rancho. — Pond  of  brackish  water  one  mile  to  the  right, 

four  miles  before  reaching  here. 
13.90.  Rio  St.  Simon. — Constant  water  a  few  miles  up,  and 

mesquite  wood. 


rOKT   THOENE   TO    FORT   YUMA.  335 

Miles. 

18.40.  Pass  in  the  Mountains. — Water  on  the  left  about  two 
miles  after  entering  the  Pass. 
6.40.   Arroya. — Wood  one  mile  up;  water  uncertain;  small 
stream  crossing  the  road  H  miles  from  last  camp, 

26.30.  Nugent's  Spring. — Large  spring. — Excellent  water  one 
mile  south,  at  Playa  St.  Domingo. 

17.20.  Caiion. — To  the  left  of  the  road.  Water  1^  miles  up 
the  canon,  two  miles  from  the  road. 

17.00.  Rio  San  Pedro. — Water  and  wood  abundant. 

16.30.   San  Pedro. — Water  abundant ;  wood  distant. 

20.80.  Cienequilla. — Water  and  wood  abundant. 
7.30.  Along  Cienequilla. — Water  and  wood  abundant ;  road 
rough. 

21.80.  Mission  of  San  Xavier. — Large  mesquite,  and  water 
plenty  in  Santa  Cruz  River. 
8.00.  Tucson. — Village  on  Santa  Cruz  River.  Tucson  is  the 
last  green  spot  on  the  Santa  Cruz  River.  The  best 
camping-ground  is  two  miles  beyond  the  village, 
where  the  valley  widens,  and  good  grass  and  w^ater 
are  abundant. 
7.20.  Mud  Holes. — The  road  passes  over  arroyas,  but  is 
rather  level. 

65.00.  Agua  Hermal. — Road  passes  over  a  desert  section,  and 
is  hard  and  level.  Water  is  found  in  most  seasons, 
except  in  early  summer,  in  natural  reservoirs  on  an 
isolated  mountain  about  midway,  called  "Picapo;" 
poor  water  and  tall,  coarse  grass  at  the  mud-holes. 
Road  here  strikes  the  Rio  Gila. 

15.10.  Los  Pimos. — Road  follows  the  river  bottom.  Lagoon 
of  bad  water  near  camp.  Grass  good ;  plenty  of  Cot- 
tonwood and  mesquite. 

13.20.  Los  Maricopas. — Road  takes  the  river  bottom,  and 
passes  through  cultivated  fields ;  soil  and  grass  good. 
The  Indian  village  is  on  a  gravelly  hill.  The  road 
is  good. 

40.00.  El  Tegotal. — The  road  leaves  the  river  and  crosses  the 
desert.  No  water  between  this  and  the  last  camp  at 
the  Maricopas'  village.  Road  is  good.  The  calita 
abounds  here,  and  the  mules  are  fond  of  it. 

10.50.  Pega  del  Rio. — Road  runs  in  the  river  bottom,  and  is 
level. 
Rincon  de  Vega. — Road  runs  in  the  river  bottom,  and 
is  level.     Good  grass. 


336        LARAMIE   CROSSING  TO   FORT  BRIDGER. 

Miles. 

10.50.  Mai  Pais. — Road  continues  near  the  river,  but  over 
low  gravel-hills  and  through  a  short  canon  of  deep 
sand. 
9.50.  Mil  Flores. — Pass  over  a  very  steep  precipice  to  an  ele- 
vated plateau,  thence  over  gravel-hills  4^  miles  to 
camp,  whei'e  there  is  excellent  grass  and  wood. 

13.70.  Santado. — Road  keeps  the  river  bottom  until  within 
four  miles  of  camp,  when  it  turns  over  the  plateau. 
Good  grass. 

16.70.  Las  Lonas. — Road  follows  the  river  bottom. '  Scattered 
bunch-grass  on  the  hills. 

11.40.  Vegas. — Road  follows  along  the  river  bottom.  Grass 
poor. 

16.80.  Metate. — Road  runs  along  at  the  foot  of  a  nigged 
mountain.     Excellent  grass  at  the  camp. 

14.70.  El  Horral. — Road  ascends  to  the  plateau,  which  it  fol- 
lows for  seven  miles  over  a  level  country,  then  de- 
scends over  gravelly  hills  to  the  river.  Camp  on  the 
river  bank  near  the  desert.     Wood  plenty. 

20.80.  Los  Algodones. — Road  runs  along  at  the  foot  of  the 
hills  or  spurs  of  the  desert ;   small  rugged  hills,  vege- 
tation  dwarf  mesquit,  cacti,  etc.      Good  grass   at 
camp. 
7.40.  Fort  Yuma,  on  the  Rio  Colorado. 

Total  distance  from  Port  Thorne,  N.  M.,  to  Fort  Yuma, 
571  miles. 


XXiy. — Lieutenant  Bryan's  Route  from  the 
Laramie  Crossing  of  the  South  Platte  to  Fort 
Bridger^  via  Bridger''s  Pass. 

Miles. 

Laramie  Crossing  to 
14.  Bryan's  Crossing. — Road  runs  on  the  south  side  of  the 

Platte.     Good  grass  and  water. 
12.  First  Crossing  of  Pole  Creek. — Pole  Creek  is  a  rapid 
stream,  sandy  bed,  15  feet  wide,  and  two  feet  deep. 
Good  grass  on  the  creek,  and  wood  three  miles  off  on 
the  blufl'^. 


LAEAMIE    CROSSING   TO    FOET  BEIDGER.        337 

Miles. 
37.  Second  Crossing  of  Pole  Creek. — Eoad  runs  along  the 

creek.      Good  grass   and  good  camps  at  any  point. 

Good  road. 
17i.  Third  Crossing  of  Pole  Creek. — Good  camp.     Wood  on 

the  bluffs. 
20^-.  Fourth  Crossing  of  Pole  Creek. — Creek  dry  for  three 

miles.     Good  grass. 
201^.  Bluffs  covered  with  dead  pines. — Creek  is  crossed  several 

times.      Road  runs   over   a   rough,  broken   country. 

Good  grass. 
14:^.  Road  from  Fort  Laramie  to  New  Mexico. — Road  rather 

rough.     The  valley  opens  out  into  a  wide  plain.    Plen- 
ty of  grass. 
lOi^.  On  Pole  Creek. — Good  road  ;  good  camp. 
20.  On  Pole  Creek. — Road  crosses  several  ravines,  most  of 

which  can  be  avoided  by  keeping  on  the  bluffs ;  the  val- 
ley is  narrow.     Grass  not  very  good. 
171^.  Cheyenne  Pass. — Road  passes  over  a  rolling  country. 

Good  grass ;  willows  for  fuel.    Military  post  established 

here. 
14^.  Summit  of  Black  Hills. — Source  of  Pole  Creek.     Grass 

poor. 
lOi.  East  Fork  of  Laramie  River. — Good  camp. 
16.  West  Fork  of  Laramie  River. — Good  camp.     Cherokee 

trail  comes  in  here. 
14.  Cooper's  Creek. — Wood  and  grass. 
10^.  East  Fork  of  Medicine  Bow  Creek. — Wood  and  grass  as 

far  as  Pass  Creek. 
2h  Small  Creek. 

6.  Birch  Creek. 

5i.  West  Fork  of  Medicine  Bow  Creek. 

2.  Flint's  Creek. 

3.  Elm  Creek. 

7.  Rattlesnake  Creek. 
5.  Pass  Creek. 

141".  North  Fork  of  the  Platte. — Good  road  over  high  prairie. 

Five  miles  before  reaching  the  river  the  Cherokee  trail 

turns  to  the  left,  and  crosses  three  miles  above.     Good 

camps  on  the  river, 
3h  First  Crossing  of  Sage  Creek. — Good  road.     Grass  not 

plenty. 
10^.  Second  Crossing  of  Sage  Creek. — Road  runs  through 

Sage  Creek  Valley ;  hilly,  broken,  and  sterile  country, 

Y 


338        LAKAMIE    CEOSSING   TO    FOKT   BKIDGEE. 

Miles. 

covered  with  sage-brush.     Grass  not  abundant.     Cher- 
okee trail  leaves  three  miles  back. 
4.  Third  Crossing  of  Sage  Creek. — Road  continues  through 
sage-brush.     Grass  gets  better. 

3.  Fourth  Crossing  of  Sage  Creek. — Good  grass,  wood,  and 

water. 
9.  Bridger's  Pass. — Eoad  runs  over  a  hilly  country,  crossing 
several  small  branches,  with  a  little  grass  upon  their 
banks ;  country  covered  with  sage. 
3|-.  Muddy  Creek. — ^"The  valley  of  the  "  Muddy"  is- deep  and 
narrow  at  first,  and  afterward  opens  out.  The  cross- 
ings of  this  creek  were  either  bridged  or  paved  by  the 
troops  in  1858.     But  little  grass  in  this  valley. 

20^.  Near  Muddy  Creek. — Very  little  grass ;  poor  camp. 

16J.  Bridger's  Fork  of  the  Muddy  Creek. — The  road  for  thir- 
teen miles  runs  over  a  rolling  country,  then  over  a 
rough,  broken  country,  Avith  deep  ravines.  No  water 
in  this  fork  in  a  dry  season ;  small  springs  of  brackish 
water  near  the  crossing.     Grass  poor. 

4.  Small  Spring. — Water  bad;   grass  poor. 

2^.   Small  Spring. — In  the  bluff.     Water  bad;   grass  poor. 
1.  Haystack. — Clay  butte.      Spring  in  the  dry  bed  of  the 
creek.     Bunch-grass. 
5^-.  Small  Springs.— In  blutfs  on  the  right  of  the  road.    Grass 

poor  and  water  bad. 
7i.  Springs. — There  is  a  fine  spring  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  hill 
on  the  south  side  of  the  road.    Very  little  grass ;  rushes 
on  the  creek. 
3i.   South  Fork  of  Bitter  Creek. — Good  grass  and  water. 
14i.  On  Bitter  Creek. — Country  hilly,  and  intersected  with 
deep  ravines.     South  Fork  is  a  fine  stream  of  good 
water. 
16.   Sulphur  Springs. — Road  very  hilly,  crossing  many  deep 

ravines.     Grass  and  sage  plenty. 
9.  Bitter  Creek  Crossing. — No  grass  at  the  crossing.     Wa- 
ter bitter  when  the  creek  is  down,  but  tolerable  in  high 
water.     Road  rough,  with  numei'ous  ravines. 
18^.  North  Fork  of  Bitter  Creek.— Cherokee  trail  enters  near 
the  crossing.     Road  good,  but  little  grass  except  in 
spots.     Sage  for  fuel. 
4.  Bluffs. — Springs  of  good  water  in  the  elevated  bluffs  on 
the  right  of  the  road  in  the  cottonwood  groves.     Grass 
good  and  abundant  at  the  base  of  the  bluffs. 


DENVER   CITY   TO   EORT   BRIDGEE.  339 

Miles. 

Hi.  Green  Eiver. — Koad  is  very  rough  and  hilly,  and  winds 

along  the  valley  of  the  creek.     Good  camp  on  the  river, 

with  plenty  of  wood  and  grass. 
15f .   Crossing  of  Black's  Fork. — Road  runs  up  through  Eabbit 

Hollow,  which  is  steep  and  sandy ;  it  then  passes  over 

rolling  prairie  to  Black's  Fork.     Bunch-grass  on  the 

hills,  and  good  camp  at  the  crossing. 
llj.  Fort  Laramie  Road. — Rolling  country;  good  road  through 

sage  bushes.     Good  camps  along  the  creek. 
5|.  Ham's  Fork. — Good  camp  on  either  side  of  the  creek. 

United  States  bridge  here ;   good  road, 
f.  Black's  Fork  Crossing. — Good  ford  except  in  high  water, 

when  the  right-hand  road  on  the  north  bank  of  the 

creek  is  generally  traveled. 
lih  Fourth  Crossing   of  Black's  Fork.  —  Good  road;    fine 

camp ;  plenty  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
2|.  Fifth  Crossing  of  Black's  Fork. — Good  camp  ;  good  road. 
2f.   Smith's  Fork. — Good  camp  ;   good  road. 
11  J.  FortBridger. — Good  camp  near;  good  road. 

Total  distance  from  the  Laramie  Crossing  of  the  South 
Platte  to  Fort  Bridger,  520^  miles.  By  the  Fort  Lar- 
amie road  the  distance  is  569  miles. 


XXV.  —  Wa gon- route  fr 0771  Denver  City^  at  the 
Mouth  of  Cherry  Creek^  to  Fort  Bridger^  Utah. 

Miles. 

Denver  City  to 
5.  Vasquez  Fork. — Good  road  and  fine  camp. 
ld\.  Thompson's  Fork. — Road  crosses  three  creeks  about  five 
miles  apart,  is  good,  and  the  camp  is  well  supplied  with 
water  and  grass,  but  wood  is  scarce. 
IGs^.  Bent's  Fork. — Road  crosses  two  streams  about  five  miles 
apart ;  no  wood  on  the  first.     Good  camp. 
26.  Cashe  la  Poudre  River. — Excellent  road  crossing  two 
streams  at  ten  and  twenty-three  miles  from  the  last 
camp ;    good  camps  on  both.     Cashe  la  Poudre  is  a 
fine  large  stream  which  issues  from  the  mountains  near 
the  road,  and  is  difficult  to  cross  in  high  water.     It  has 


340  DENVER   CITY   TO   FOKT  BRIDGEK. 

Miles. 

a  firm  bottom.  Good  camps  along  this  stream,  with 
plenty  of  wood  and  grass. 

16.  Beaver  Creek. — Eoad  turns  to  the  left  and  enters  the 

hills,  ascending  very  gradually  between  two  lines  of 
bluffs,  and  is  good  except  in  Avet  weather.  Good  camp. 
19.  Small  Branch. — Road  crosses  Beaver  Creek  three  times, 
affording  good  camps.  Road  is  hilly,  but  not  veiy 
rough,  passing  for  a  portion  of  the  distance  through  a 
timbered  region.  Elk  and  mountain  sheep  are  abund- 
ant in  this  section.  The  camp  is  near  the  summit  of 
the  divide.     Grass  short. 

17?.  Tributary  of  Laramie  River. — Good  road  on  the  divide. 
Grass  and  water  plenty,  but  wood  not  abundant. 

182^.  Tributary  of  Laramie  River. — Road  passes  Laramie  Fork 
thi'ee  miles  from  the  last  camp.     Good  camp. 
21.  Tributaiy  of  Laramie  River. — Road  crosses  a  small  creek 
at  14  miles  from  last  camp.     Fine  camp. 

17.  Medicine  Bow  Creek. — At  twelve  miles  the  road  crosses 

Sulphur  Spring  Creek,  and  at  the  West  Fork  of  the 
Laramie  Lieutenant  Bryan's  road  enters.  At  ten  miles 
from  the  last  camp  there  are  two  roads — one,  Bryan's, 
leading  north  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Butte,  and  the  other 
to  the  south  of  it.    The  former  is  the  best.    Good  camp. 

171^.  Prairie  Creek. — Fine  camp.  A  portion  of  the  road  is 
very  rough.  It  crosses  several  small  branches  upon 
which  good  camps  may  be  had.  Fine  game  section, 
with  beax-,  elk,  etc.,  in  great  abundance. 

12  ?.  North  Fork  of  the  Platte. — Excellent  camp.  Leave  Bry- 
an's road  four  miles  back,  taking  the  left,  which  is  alto- 
gether the  best  of  the  two.  The  crossing  of  the  Platte 
is  good  except  in  high  water,  when  it  is  very  rapid.  A 
flat-boat  was  left  here  bv  Colonel  Loring's  command  in 
1858. 

12|-.  Clear  Creek. — Sage  for  fuel;  grass  short. 
23.  Dry  Creek. — Road  leaves  Bryan's  trail  to  Bridger's  Pass, 
and  bears  to  the  right,  passing  over  a  smooth  country 
covered  with  sage  and  poorly  watered ;  passes  a  pond 
of  milky  water  at  thirteen  miles.  There  is  water  in 
Dry  Creek  except  in  a  veiy  dry  season.  Two  miles 
from  the  creek,  on  the  old  trail,  there  is  a  fine  spring 
on  the  left  of  the  road,  which  runs  down  into  the  road, 
and  here  is  the  best  grass  after  leaving  the  Platte,  with 
plenty  of  fuel. 


DENVER   CITY   TO   FORT   BRIDGER.  341 


10  2^.' Muddy  Creek.— Eoad  leaves  the  old  Cherokee  trailat 
Dry  Creek,  and  bears  to  the  left.  Good  camp  for  a 
limited  number  of  animals ;  fine  grass  along  near  the 
bank  of  the  creek.     Bad  crossing.     Buffalo  seen  here. 

19^^.  Lake. — Old  trail  enters  near  this  camp.  Road  passes  a 
brackish  spring  four  miles  back.  The  road  may  be 
shortened  by  bearing  to  the  left  and  skirting  the  hills 
for  about  six  miles  before  reaching  the  lake.  The  wa- 
ter in  the  lake  is  not  good,  but  drinkable,  and  will  be 
abundant  except  in  the  very  dryest  part  of  the  summer. 
Grass  is  good  on  the  hills.  The  road  from  Dry  Creek 
is  shorter  than  the  old  road  by  30  miles. 

24i.  Red  Lakes.— Road  is  good,  but  traverses  a  very  dry  and 
sterile  region.  The  water  is  not  good  in  the  lakes,  but 
drinkable,  and  may  go  dry  in  midsummer.  Grass  tol- 
erable. 
22.  Seminoes  Spring.— After  passing  the  flats  at  the  Red 
Lakes  the  road  is  smooth  and  good,  and  there  is  a  good 
camp  at  Seminoes  Spring. 

12i  Bitter  Creek.— New  road  to  the  left,  cutting  off  ten  or 
twelve  miles.  Good  camp ;  water  a  little  saline,  but 
drinkable. 
25.  Sulphur  Spring. — Road  runs  along  the  valley  of  Bitter 
Creek,  Avhere  there  is  but  little  grass  until  reaching 
camp.  Animals  should  be  driven  across  the  creek  into 
the  hills,  where  the  best  grass  is  found. 
17.  Green  River. —Road  leaves  Bitter  Creek  at  Sulphur 
Spring,  and  passes  near  some  high  bluffs,  where  there 
are  small  springs  and  good  grass.  Excellent  camp  at 
Green  River.  From  here  the  road  runs  over  the  same 
track  as  Bryan's  road  to  Fort  Bridger.  From  all  the 
information  I  have  been  able  to  obtain  regarding  Lieu- 
tenant Bryan's  road  from  Sage  Creek  through  Bridg- 
er's  Pass,  and  thence  down  the  Muddy  Creek,  I  am  in- 
clined to  believe  that  the  road  we  traveled  is  much  the 
best.  It  is  said  that  Lieutenant  Bryan's  route  from 
Bridger's  Pass  to  Green  River  has  a  scarcity  of  grass. 
The  water  is  brackish,  and  the  supply  limited,  and 
may  fail  altogether  in  a  dry  season.  The  road  passes 
through  deep  valleys  and  canons,  crossing  muddy  creeks 
and  deep  ravines.  The  creeks  have  been  bridged  and 
the  ravines  cut  down  so  as  to  form  a  practicable  road ; 
but  freshets  will  probably  occur  in  the  spring,  which 


342  NEBEASKA   CITY  TO   FOET   KEAENEY. 

will  destroy  a  great  deal  of  the  work,  and  may  render 
the  road  impassable. — Lieutenant  Duane's  Notes. 
The  other  road  is  for  the  greater  part  of  the  distance 
smooth,  and  has  a  sufficiency  of  grass  in  places,  but  the 
water  may  become  scarce  in  a  very  dry  season. 


XXYT. — JFrom  Nebraska  City.,  on  the  Missouri.,  to 
Fort  Kearney. 

Nebraska  City,  on  the  Missouri  River,  is  a  point  from  whence 
a  large  amount  of  the  supplies  for  the  army  in  Utah  are  sent, 
and  one  of  the  contractors,  Mr.  Alexander  Majors,  speaks  of 
this  route  in  the  following  terms:  "The  military  road  from 
Fort  Leavenworth  crosses  very  many  tributaries  of  the  Kansas 
River,  the  Soldier,  the  Grasshopper,  etc.,  etc.,  which  are  at  all 
times  difficult  of  passage.  There  are  no  bridges,  or  but  few, 
and  those  of  but  little  service.  From  Nebraska  City  to  Fort 
Kearney,  which  is  a  fixed  point  for  the  junction  of  all  roads 
passing  up  the  Platte,  we  have  but  one  stream  of  any  moment 
to  cross.  That  one  is  Salt  Creek,  a  stream  which  is  now  paved 
at  a  shallow  ford  with  solid  rock. 

"There  is  no  other  stream  which,  even  in  a  high  freshet, 
would  stop  a  train  a  single  day.  Again,  upon  this  route  we 
have  an  abundance  of  good  grazing  every  foot  of  the  way  to 
Fort  Kearney.  The  route  from  Nebraska  City  is  about  100 
miles  shorter  to  Fort  Kearney  than  that  from  Fort  Leavenworth, 
the  former  being  less  than  200  miles  and  the  latter  about  300 
miles." 

From  Nebraska  City  to  Salt  Creek  is 40  miles. 

"     Salt  Creek  to  Elm  Creek  is 60     " 

"     Elm  Creek  to  Fort  Kearney  is 100     " 

Upon  the  entire  route  there  is  an  abundance  of  wood,  water, 
and  grass,  and  camping-places  frequent. 


CAMP  FLOYD   TO   FOET   UNIO]S-.  343 

XXVll.—J^rotn  Camp  Floyd,  Utah,  to  Fort  Un- 
ion, New  Mexico.     By  Colonel  W.  W.  Loeing, 

Miles. 

Camp  Floyd  to 

23.  Goshen.— The  road  runs  through  Cedar  Valley ;  is  level 
and  good  for  11  miles,  to  where  the  road  forks.  The 
left  runs  near  the  lake,  and  has  good  camps  upon  it. 
Thence  to  a  fine  spring,  where  there  is  a  good  camp,  is 
3  miles.  Grass  continues  good  to  the  camp  near  Go- 
shen.    Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant. 

14.  Salt  Creek. — Road  runs  over  a  mountain  in  a  direct 
course  to  a  fine  spring  branch,  which  runs  into  Salt 
Creek  at  3i  miles,  where  is  a  good  camp;  thence 
through  a  meadow  to  a  small  branch  3  miles,  striking 
the  old  Mormon  road  again  opposite  a  mud  fort,  where 
there  is  a  fine  spring  and  good  camp ;  thence  into  the 
valley  of  Salt  Creek,  where  there  are  good  camps. 

18.  Pleasant  Creek.— Near  the  last  camp  the  road  forks,  one 
running  to  Nephi,  a  small  Mormon  village,  the  other  to 
Salt  Creek  Caiion,  which  is  the  one  to  be  taken.  The 
road  runs  up  the  canon  5  miles ;  thence  up  its  small 
right-hand  fork  to  a  spring,  3  miles ;  thence  to  camp. 
Good  camps  can  be  found  any  where  after  crossing  Salt 
Creek,  with  abundance  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
191^.  Willow  Creek. — Road  at  Q\  miles  passes  a  fine  spring ; 
half  a  mile  farther  is  another  spring,  where  the  road 
forks.  Take  the  right  through  a  meadow ;  it  is  3  or  4 
miles  shorter.  To  the  crossing  is  3  miles :  thence  to 
the  main  road  again  3  miles ;  to  the  village  of  Ephraim 
5  miles.     Good  camp. 

12.  Lediniquint  Creek.— At  6  miles  pass  Manti ;  thence  to 
Salt  and  Sulphur  Springs  is  3  miles.  Good  camp,  with 
a  fine  spring,  wood,  and  grass. 

15.  Lediniquint  Creek. — Road  passes  over  a  rugged  country 
for  4  miles,  to  a  creek ;  thence  one  mile  it  crosses  an- 
other creek ;  thence  2\  miles  up  the  creek,  where  there 
is  a  good  camp.  The  road  improves,  and  for  8  or  9 
miles  camps  can  be  found  by  leaving  the  creek  a  short 
distance.  The  creek  on  which  the  camp  is  is  muddy, 
with  narrow  channel. 

18.  Onapah  Creek,  or  Salt  Creek.— Road  is  good  over  a  bar- 
ren country  to  the  pointed  red  hills  near  the  entrance 


344  CAMP    FLOYD   TO    FORT    UNION. 

Miles. 

to  Wasatch  Pass,  7  miles.  From  the  red  hills  cross 
Salt  Creek  3  times  in  4  miles ;  grass  fair  at  2d  cross- 
ing ;  very  good  at  3d  crossing,  and  a  good  camp.  Road 
rough  for  3  miles  after  leading  the  creek.  The  road 
then  enters  a  fine  valley,  with  plenty  of  blue  and  bunch 
grass.  Road  is  level  to  Avithin  a  mile  of  the  camp. 
Wood,  water,  and  grass  abundant  at  camp. 
7i.  Head  of  Branch  of  Salt  Creek. — Road  runs  over  a  ridge 
at  2  miles,  thence  one  mile  to  a  small  branch.  Grass 
abimdant.  Road  runs  along  the  branch  3  iniles;  in 
places  very  rough,  with  some  sand  ;  ascends  the  entire 
distance,  and  the  camp  is  very  elevated.  Good  spring 
at  camp. 
5h  Salt  Creek. -^Road  passes  over  a  ridge  2k  miles  to  a 
spring.  Good  camp  at  this  spring.  Colonel  Loring 
worked  the  road  at  this  place.  It  crosses  the  creek  6 
times  within  the  5f  miles.  Good  camp,  with  abund- 
ance of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
Gk.  Silver  Creek. — Road  traverses  a  rolling  section,  is  good, 
passes  several  springs  where  there  are  good  camps,  and 
crosses  several  trails  which  lead  from  California  to  New 
Mexico. 

171^.  Media  Creek. — At  two  miles  the  road  passes  the  dividing 
ridge  between  the  waters  of  Salt  Lake  and  Green  River ; 
thence  two  miles'  descent  to  Shipley  Creek,  where  is  a 
good  camp.  Eor  about  a  mile  the  road  is  rough,  but 
then  descends  into  an  open  plain  where  the  road  is 
good.  The  ground  is  rough  about  the  camp,  and  cov- 
ered with  sage  and  greasewood.  Two  miles  up  the 
creek,  near  the  canon,  is  some  grass,  but  it  is  not  abund- 
ant here. 

19f.  St.  Raphael  Creek. — Road  passes  a  rolling  section  for  5 
iniles ;  thence  li  mile  to  Garamboyer  Creek,  where 
there  is  a  good  camp ;  thence,  with  the  exception  of  a 
short  distance,  the  road  is  good  to  the  Knobs,  9  miles, 
when  it  is  broken  for  4^-  miles.     Good  camp. 

11|.  San  Matio  Creek. — For  3  miles  the  road  is  over  a  rolling 
section,  with  steep  hills,  to  a  creek,  where  is  a  good 
camp ;  thence,  for  3  miles  along  the  creek,  soft  soil 
and  heavy  road ;  thence  5  miles  to  another  creek,  some 
grass,  but  not  plenty ;  thence  to  camp  the  road  is  rough 
in  places.     Good  camp. 

14^.  In  the  Hills. — Road  runs  over  a  rolling  country  2i  miles 


CAMP   FLOYD   TO   FORT   UNION.  345 

Miles. 

to  San  Marcos,  or  Tanoje  Creek,  where  there  is  good 
grass  and  water,  with  sage.  Two  miles  farther  over  a 
gravelly  road,  then  a  good  plain  road  for  9|  miles  to 
camp.     Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

23.  Spring. — Road  for  the  first  ten  miles  is  rocky,  when  it 
strikes  a  spring,  where  there  is  a  good  camp ;  thence  2 
miles  to  water  in  a  tank,  not  permanent ;  thence  the 
road  is  on  a  ridge  for  6  miles,  and  is  good ;  thence  3 
miles  the  road  is  sandy.  The  spring  at  camp  is  large, 
with  plenty  of  wood,  but  the  grass  is  scarce.  Down 
the  creek  it  is  more  abundant. 

18.  Green  River. — For  5  miles  the  road  is  sandy;  thence  the 
road  is  good  for  the  remainder  of  the  distance  to  camp, 
where  there  is  plenty  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

13.  13-Mile  Spring. — Green  River  can  be  forded  at  ordinary 
stages.  Road  runs  among  several  arroyas  for  a  few 
miles,  and  is  then  straight  and  good  to  camp.  Good 
grass  a  mile  to  the  east  of  camp. 
An  AiToya. — Road  runs  between  two  rocky  buttes,  and 
strikes  the  Mormon  trail,  which  leaves  Green  River  at 
the  same  place,  but  is  very  tortuous.  Water  not  per- 
manent here ;  good  grass  three  fourths  of  a  mile  from 
camp. 
20i.  Cottonwood  Creek. — Road  passes  over  a  broken  country 
to  a  water-hole,  9  miles ;  grass  abundant ;  thence  there 
is  sand  in  places;  crosses  several  arroyas.  Camp  is 
between  two  mountains.  Wood,  water,  and  grass 
abundant. 

12.  Grand  River. — Road  is  over  a  rolling  country;  in  places 

light  sand  and  heavy  for  wagons.     Good  camp. 

13.  Grand  River. — Road  is  rolling  and  sandy.     The  Mormon 

road  runs  nearer  the  mountains,  and  Colonel  Loring 
thinks  it  is  better  than  the  one  he  traveled.  Good  camp. 
16|.  11^  mile  from  Grand  River. — The  first  3  miles  is  level, 
then  the  road  passes  over  a  very  elevated  ridge,  and 
descends  into  the  valley.  Grand  River  runs  through  a 
canon,  and  can  not  be  reached  with  the  animals. 
Road  in  places  sandy.  Good  camp. 
9i.  Grand  River. — At  two  miles  strike  Salt  Creek,  where  the 
Mormon  road  passes  up  a  dry  creek  toward  Gray 
Mountain.  Road  skirts  the  mountains  along  Grand 
River,  and  is  rough  in  places,  passing  over  abnipt 
hills.     Good  camp. 


346  CAMP   FLOYD   TO   FORT   UNION-. 

MUes. 

16|.  Grand  River. — Road  runs  over  a  level  and  firm  section, 
with  good  camps  at  any  point  along  the  river.  Cross 
the  Mormon  and  other  trails.  Good  ford  at  the  cross- 
ing except  in  high  water.     Good  camp. 

18i.  On  an  Arroya. — Road  runs  over  an  undulating  surface, 
crossing  several  small  streams  issuing  from  Elk  Mount- 
ain, affording  good  camps  at  almost  any  place,  and 
strikes  Marcy's  and  Gunnison's  trails.     Good  camp. 

15|r.  Grand  River. — Rolling  country;  high  ridges  with  abrupt 
slopes  for  6i  miles ;  thence  into  a  plain  for  Ti  miles 
to  Double  Creek.     Good  camps. 

12.  Oncompagre  River. — Good  ford  except  in  high  water. 

At  6  miles  cross  a  dry  creek;  thence  3  miles  over  a 
high,  level,  and  firm  road;  strike  a  large  trail;  de- 
scend a  hill  with  gentle  slope  into  the  Valley  of  On- 
compagre, where  there  are  fine  camps.  Winter  resort 
for  Ute  Indians. 
14^.  Oncompagre  River. — Road  runs  along  the  valley  of  the 
Oncompagre,  is  good,  and  camps  may  be  found  at  any 
point,  with  plenty  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

13.  Cedar  Creek. — Road  leaves  the  Oncompagre,  and  bears 

to  the  east  up  Cedar  Creek  to  the  gap  in  the  mount- 
ains, 6  miles ;  thence  up  the  valley  of  Cedar  Creek  to 
camp,  where  are  wood,  water,  and  grass.  Tlie  Gap  is 
the  first  opening  in  the  mountains  above  the  mouth  of 
the  Oncompagre. 

8|.  Devil's  Creek. — Road  runs  to  the  head  of  Cedar  Creek, 
over  the  divide,  into  the  valley  of  Devil's  Creek,  and  is 
rough,  with  a  steep  descent.  Camp  is  near  a  narrow 
canon  called  Devil's  Gate,  with  high  perpendicular 
bluffs.  Good  camp. 
3.  North  Fork  of  Devil's  Creek. — Road  very  rocky,  and 
worked  by  Colonel  Loring.  Marcy's  and  Gunnison's 
trails  pass  here.     Good  camp. 

7i.  Cebola  Creek. — Road  passes  over  abrupt  hills  covered 
with  pine.     Good  camp. 

5j.  Ruidos  Creek. — Road  rough,  with  abrupt  ascents  and  de- 
scents.    Fine  creek  5  feet  wide,  and  good  camp. 

13.  Grand  River. — Road  rather  smooth  for  the  first  3  miles, 
then  rough  and  rocky,  crossing  several  creeks,  and  de- 
scending into  the  valley  of  the  Grand  or  Eagle-tail 
River,  where  is  a  good  camp.  Plenty  of  brook  trout  in 
all  the  streams  in  this  section. 


CAMP   FLOYD   TO   FORT   UNIOI^.  34*7 

Miles. 

14^.  Grand  River. — Road  crosses  the  river  three  times ;  bot- 
tom wide;  grass  and  wood  abundant.  Cross  several 
beautiful  streams,  upon  which  are  good  camps.  Some 
sand  and  rough  places,  but  generally  good  road.  Game 
and  brook  trout  abundant  in  this  region.  Indians  re- 
sort to  this  section  a  great  deal. 
18.  Cutebetope  Creek.-:— At  about  5  miles  the  Cutebetope 
Creek  enters,  forming  at  the  confluence  a  beautiful 
valley,  which  the  road  crosses,  and  strikes  the  creek 
near  the  Point  of  Rocks,  where  the  valley  is  only  40 
yards  wide,  but  after  passing  the  Point  it  opens  again. 
The  course  of  the  creek  is  nearly  north.  Good  camjjs. 
20.  Spring  near  Beaver  Creek. — Road  crosses  several  small 
creeks,  where  are  good  camping-places.     Good  camp. 

16f.  Sawatch  Creek.  —  Road  runs  over  a  very  rough  and 
mountainous  section  for  14  miles  to  the  summit  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains ;  thence  it  descends  to  camp,  where 
grass,  wood,  and  water  are  abundant. 

2H.  Sawatch  Creek. — Road  rough  and  rocky  in  places; 
strikes  the  main  Sawatch  Creek  at  95^  miles ;  crosses 
numerous  small  branches,  where  are  grass,  wood,  and 
good  water  in  abundance. 

25-2-.  Camero  Creek. — Road  for  7  miles,  to  Sawatch  Buttes,  is 
good ;  thence  1^  mile  to  the  last  crossing  of  the  Sa- 
watch, where  is  a  good  camping-place.     Good  camp  at 
Camero  Creek. 
82^.  Garita  Creek. — Good  road  and  good  camp. 

16k-  Rio  Grande. — Road  level  and  good.     Good  camps  along 
the  river  at  almost  any  point. 
6.  Rio  Grande. — Good  road  and  camp. 

17i.  Fort  Garland,  Hay  Camp. — Road  continues  down  the 
river,  and  is  good.  For  six  miles  there  is  timber,  but 
after  this  willow  is  the  only  wood  to  camp.  Good  road. 
Hay  is  cut  at  this  place  for  Forts  Massachusetts  and 
Garland. 
16.  Culebra  Creek. — At  4f  miles  cross  Trinchera  Creek, 
where  is  a  good  camp.  Road  rather  sandy.  Good 
camps  any  where  on  Culebra  Creek. 

241 .  Latos  Creek. — Road  tolerable  to  Costilla  Creek,  lOf  miles. 
Good  camp. 
14.  Ascequia,  near  Lama  Creek. — Road  crosses  several  small 
branches.     At  9|  miles  strike  Red  River.     Grass  at 
camp  good,  but  not  abundant. 


348  CAMP   FLOYD   TO    FORT    UNION. 

Miles. 

19f.  Meadow  near  Indian  Puebla. — At  6  miles  the  road  crosses 
the  San  Christobal ;  thence  over  another  ridge  into  the 
valley  of  the  Kio  Hondo.     Camp  2  miles  from  Taos. 
2.  Taos,  New  Mexico. — Good  road.     At  Taos  are  several 
stores,  where  goods  of  all  descriptions  can  be  had  at 
fair  prices. 
13.  Taos  Creek  Canon. — Eoad  passes  through  the  settlement, 
where  grain  and  vegetables  can  be  obtained.     It  then 
enters  the  Taos  Canon  at  3  miles,  and  crosses  the  Canon 
Creek  frequently  to  camp.     Good  camp. 
29.   Gaudelapepita. — At  5  miles  the  road  ascends  to  the  di- 
viding ridge,  and  is  tolerable ;  thence  in  4  miles  cross 
the  mountain,  and  reach  a  fine  spring  branch,  where  is 
a  fine  camp.     Thence  the  road  passes  short  ridges  for  9 
miles  to  Black  Lake.     Good  camp. 
Fort  Union. — Road  follows  Coyote  Cailon  3  miles ;  thence 
one  mile  to  Mexican  settlement ;  thence  195^  miles  over 
the  prairie  to  the  fort. 


Colonel  Loring  came  over  the  route  from  Camp  Floyd  to 
Fort  Union  with  a  large  train  of  wagons.  He,  however,  found 
the  road  in  many  places  upon  the  mountains  very  rough,  and 
it  will  require  working  before  it  will  be  suitable  for  general 
travel  with  loaded  wagons.  It  is  an  excellent  route  for  sum- 
mer travel  with  pack  trains,  and  is  well  supplied  with  the  requi- 
sites for  encamping. 

From  Fort  Union  to  Fort  Garland  the  road  passes  through  a 
settled  country,  where  supplies  of  grain  and  vegetables  can  at 
all  times  be  purchased  at  reasonable  prices,  and  there  are  small 
towns  met  with  during  almost  every  day's  march  where  small 
shops  supply  such  articles  of  merchandise  as  the  traveler  needs. 


GUAYMAS   TO   TUBAC.  349 

XXVIII. —  Wagon-route  from  Guaymas^  Sonora^ 
Mexico^  to  Tuhac^  Arizo?ia.  From  Captain 
Stone's  Journal. 

Miles. 

Guaymas  to 
lot.  Rancho  del  Cavallo. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
9.  Rancho  de  la  Noche  Buena. — Good  wood  and  grass,  but 
no  water  for  animals  in  May  and  June. 
19f .  Eancho  de  la  Cuneguinta. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass 

the  year  round ;  water  in  tanks  and  wells. 
15|.  Rancho   del  Posito.  —  Good  wood  and  grass  the  year 
round;    water  for  men  at  all  times,  and  for  animals 
except  in  the  months  of  May  and  June. 
8.  Rancho  de  la  Palma. — Wood,  water,  and  grass  at  all 
times. 
16|.  Rancho  de  la  Paza. — Good  wood,  water,  and  grass  at  all 
seasons. 
16.  Hermosillo. — This  is  a  town  of  10,000  inhabitants,  on 

Sonora  River,  where  all  supplies  may  be  procured. 
13.  Hacienda  de  Alamito. — Plenty  of  running  water,  wood, 

grass,  and  grain. 
8.  Hacienda  de  la  Labor. — Plenty  of  running  water,  grass, 
and  grain. 
28.  Rancho  de  Tabique. — Roughest  part  of  the  road,  but  not 
difficult  for  wagons.     Wood,  water,  and  grass.     From 
Hermosillo  to  this  place  there  is  water  at  short  inter- 
vals along  the  road. 
36.  Rancho  Querebabi, — Wood  and  grass ;  water  in  tanks. 

12.  Barajita.  —  Small   mining  village.      Bad  water ;    good 

wood  and  grass. 

13.  Santa  Ana. — Village  on  the  River  San  Ignacio.     Plenty 

of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

12.  LaMagdalena. — Thriving  to^vn,  where  all  supplies  can  be 

procured. 
5.  San  Ignacio. — Village  on  the  river.     Good  wood,  water, 

and  grass. 
6|.  Imuris. — Village  on  the  river.     Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
IH.  Los  Alisos  Rancho. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
02.  La  Casita. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
3i.  Cibuta. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
Hi.  Agua  Zarca. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
23i.  Rancho  de  las  Calabasas. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

13.  Tubac. — Silver  mines  at  this  place. 

Total  distance  from  Guaymas  to  Tubac,  295  miles- 


350   CITY   OF   EOCKS   TO   HONEY   LAKE  VALLEY. 

Note. — During  the  months  of  July,  August,  and  Septem- 
ber, water  will  be  found  at  almost  any  part  of  the  road  from 
La  Casita  to  Hermosillo.  There  is  no  lack  of  wood  or  grass 
on  any  part  of  the  road  from  Guaymas  to  the  frontier.  The 
only  difficulty  in  encamping  at  almost  any  point  upon  the 
road  is  that  of  obtaining  water  in  the  dry  season,  i.  e.,  from 
February  to  the  first  of  July.  The  remarks  for  each  place 
apply  to  the  most  unfavorable  seasons. 


XXIX. — Road  from  City  of  Rocks  to  Honey  Lake 
Yalley.    Extract  from  F.  W.  Lander's  Report. 

Miles. 

City  of  Rocks  to 

12.00.  Granite  Springs. — Around  Granite  Springs  and  north 
of  it,  good  grass  and  water ;  the  road  to  the  top  of 
the  mountain  good,  but  great  care  has  to  be  taken 
going  down  to 
6.76.  Goose  Creek. — Keep  good  watch  here  against  Indians. 
Goose  Creek  down  are  some  good  camping-places, 
and  Tip  all 

22.34:.  Along  Goose  Creek  grass  and  water  is  to  be  found. 
At  the  head  of  Goose  Creek  a  camp  road  leads  to  the 
northwest,  where  a  few  springs  furnish  water,  and  a 
large  open  place  bottom-grass.     Bunch-grass  scarce. 

12.12.   Rock  Spring. — Water  good,  but  grass  only  for  the  first 

emigration. 
5.84.   Cold  Springs. — Deep  wells  with  grass;  bunch-grass  on 
the  hills. 

18.40.  Hot  Spring  Creek  (upper  part  of  Thousand  Spring  Val- 
ley).— About  nine  miles  from  Cold  Spring  is  abun- 
dant grass  and  a  small  spring  close  to  the  road ;  the 
other  M'ater  in  sloughs  contains  alkali,  and  therefore 
avoid  using  it.  Hot  Spring  Creek,  with  its  upper  part, 
has  good  water  and  grass.  A  few  rocky  places  on 
the  dividing  ridge  to 

14.90.  Humboldt  Wells. — Excellent  water,  good  bottom  and 
bunch  grass.  A  hot  spring,  some  rocky  places  and 
crossings  in 
4.00.  Humboldt  Canon. — From  this  place  the  road  runs  along 
the  river  to  Lassen's  meadows ;  leaves  it  sometimes 
to  avoid  canons  or  soft  bottoms;  the  grass  is  very 


CITY   OP   EOCKS  TO   HONEY   LAKE  VALLEY.    351 

Miles. 

abundant;  the  running  water  good.  But  good  care 
has  to  be  taken  that  animals  do  not  drink  out  of 
sloughs,  which  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season  contain 
much  alkali.  Mules  and  horses  are  sometimes  sub- 
ject to  a  peculiar  disease,  causing  a  swelling  of 
neck  and  breast ;  the  best  preventive  is  to  put  rowels 
through  the  breast  and  keep  the  wound  open.  Should 
the  animals  show  any  symptoms  of  sweDing,  burn  with 
an  iron  three  or  four  scars,  deep  and  long,  along  the 
neck  and  breast,  and  keep  these  open  with  blistering 
plaster.  I  was  assured  by  many  mountaineers  that 
this  is  a  preventive  and  sure  cure.  The  road  good 
to  the 

22.64.  Crossing  of  Bishop's  Creek. — Good  crossing. 

20.50.  Crossing  of  north  Fork  of  Humboldt  River. — Gravel 
bottom. 

32.00.  Fre'mont's  Canon. — Gravel  bottom,  but  rocks  in  the 
river  bed. 
9.20.  Maggie  Creek. — Before  crossing  Maggie  Creek,  a  small 
stream  has  to  be  forded;  both  have  grass  and  good 
water.  The  road  here  leaves  the  bottom  and  passes 
over  the  hills  to  Gravelly  Ford.  There  are  some 
springs  close  to  the  road,  and  in  the  early  part  of  the 
season  good  and  abundant  grass.  The  road  has 
some  rocky  places  and  steep  grades  down  to 

19.30.  Gravelly  Ford. — Good  grazing  ground  up  and  down  the 
river;  the  Humboldt  runs  about  five  miles  farther 
down  through  a  canon,  therefore  the  road  goes 

10.00.  Over  the  hills. 

20.00.  Stony  Point. — The  road  good ;  Indians  are  always  in 
this  neighborhood  fishing  and  hunting,  therefore  keep 
a  good  look' out. 

38.00.  Foot  of  hills  on  the  Pah-Utah  line. — Fine  springs  on  the 
hill  side,  with  good  grass ;  the  valley  to  the  north  is 
covered  with  sage  brush  interspersed  with  scanty  grass. 
Before  reaching  the  hills  you  pass  some  sloughs  with 
bad  water.  The  road  over 
6.00.  The  hills  is  good.  This  is  now  the  country  of  the 
Pah-Utah  Indians,  a  friendly  tribe,  seldom  commit- 
ting depredations. 

17.00.  Bend  of  the  river  on  Tutts'  Meadows. — At  the  bend  a 
small  spring  branch  comes  in ;  the  lower  crossing  is 
sometimes  muddy,  the  upper  good. 


352  PACIFIC  WAGON-ROADS. 

Miles. 

44.00.  Lassen's  Meadows. — Abundant  grass  on  the  upper  and 
lower  part.  I  advise  all  emigrants  to  rest  here  a  few 
days,  to  cut  grass  and  take  it  along.  Though  water 
may  be  had,  grass  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season  is 
dried  up  and  scarce. 
4.50.  Through  Lassen's  Meadows. — Leave  these  meadows  in 
the  afternoon,  and  camp  on 

12.00.  Antelope  Spring. — The  water  is  very  good,  but  grass 
scarce.     A  good  road  over  rolling  hills  to 

15.75.  Eabbit  Hole  Springs. — Water  in  wells  for  cooking  pur- 
poses, but  cattle  have  to  be  watered  with  a  bucket. 
The  road  good  to 

18.50.  Hot  Springs  on  the  eastern  side  of  Mud  Lake. — Ani- 
mals may  be  watered  here.  A  beautiful  road  over 
the  perfect  level  bottom  of  Mud  Lake  brings  you  to 

13.75.  Granite  Springs. — Water  good,  and  good  grass  in  a  ra- 
vine northwest  of  the  springs. 
4.50.  Boiling  Spring. — Kemarkable  for  its  temperature  and 

size. 
7.25.  Deep  Hole  Springs. — Good  grass  and  excellent  water. 

16.00.  Buffalo  Springs. — Road  good,  water  in  holes,  grass  in 
the  neighborhood.     Over  rolling  hills  and  bluff's  we 
strike 
9.50.  Kush  Valley. — Upper  part  of  Rush  Valley  contains  good 
water,  most  plenty  of  grass,  and  a  few  rocky  places. 

16.75.  Through  Rush  Valley  to  Mart  Springs. — Very  rocky 
after  leaving  Mud  Springs;  the  lower  part  of  the 
road  very  good  to 

17.00.  Honey  Lake  Valley. 


XXX. — Itinerary  of  F.  W.  Lander's  Road  from 

East   Crossing  of  Sweet -water^  on  Salt  Lake 
Road^  to  City  of  Rocks. 

Mile?. 
3.50.  From  Gilbert's  Station  to  Aspen  Hut.— Good  grass  and 

water.     If  the  grass  has  been  eaten  off"  by  the  Salt 

Lake  trains,  go 
2.20.  To  Long's  Creek. — Here  you  have  a  good  camp,  the 

grass  on  the  hills  being  excellent.     Willows  on  creek, 

aspen  or  mountain  cottonwood  to  left,  pine  timber  to 

left,  crossing  good  gravel  bottom. 


PACIFIC   WAGON-EOADS.  353 

Miles. 

2.23.  From  Long's  Creek  to  Clover  Creek. — Good  grass  and 
water. 

3. 14.  From  Clover  Creek  to  Garnet  Creek. — Good  water  and 

fine  grass;  aspen  timber.  From  this  creek  to  the 
Sweetwater  it  is  a  rolling  country,  with  fine  bunch- 
grass.     Pine  timber  as  you  approach  the  river. 

4.95.  From  Garnet  Creek  to  Sweetwater  River  crossing. — You 
will  find  this  a  good  camp.  Fine  grass  and  heavy 
pine  timber  a  short  distance  up  the  creek  to  right. 

1.59.  From  the  Sweetwater  to  crossing  of  Poor's  Creek. — Ex- 
cellent grass  and  fine  timber  to  left  of  road.  Good 
camping-places  all  the  way  for  nine  miles,  the  road 
following  up  the  stream  for  that  distance. 
11.66.  From  Poor's  Creek  to  Little  Sandy  Creek. — Good  grass ; 
abundance  of  pine  timber.  Four  miles  from  crossing 
the  road  descends  into  a  large  grass  plain,  called  An- 
telope Meadow.  A  great  many  antelope  here.  Camp 
near  the  rocks,  where  you  can  have  cedar  for  fuel. 

5.33.  From  Little  Sandy  to  Big  Hole  of  Big  Sandy. — A  good 
laying-up  place.  A  large  valley ;  abundance  of  grass 
and  pine  timber. 

5.00.  To  crossing  of  Big  Sandy. — Hard  pitchy  road.  A  steep 
pitch  to  go  down  to  the  river. 

8.15.  From  Big  Sandy  to  Grass  Spring. — No  wood,  but  fine 

grass  and  water ;  abundance  of  sage  for  fuel. 
18.56.  From  Grass  Spring  to  new  Fork  of  Green  River. — This 
distance  can  be  shortened  by  striking  toward  a  clump 
of  timber  to  the  right  and  finding  good  camping- 
grounds  ;  then,  by  following  down  this  stream  to  the 
left  a  short  distance,  you  strike  the  road  at  the  cross- 
ing, which  is  good.  There  is  a  large  island  in  the 
centre,  and  the  stream  on  each  side  is  from  twenty  to 
thirty  yards  wide.  In  the  spring  it  is  from  three  to 
four  feet  deep.  You  had  better  raise  the  beds  of  your 
wagons.  Timber  on  island  and  western  bank. 
5.51.  From  new  Fork  to  Green  River. — From  this  point  you 
can  strike  south,  and  in  four  miles  come  to  Piney 
Creek,  with  good  grass,  and  plenty  of  timber  for  camps. 
This,  howcA^er,  can  only  be  done  late  in  the  season, 
for  in  the  spring  it  is  marshy,  and  you  had  better  keep 
the  beaten  trail,  on  which  you  Avill  find  water  and 
grass  enough  even  for  laying  up. 
8.00.  From  Green  River  to  White  Clay  Creek.-  Alkali  along 
7 


354  PACIFIC   WAGON-EOADS. 

Miles. 

its  banks,  but  clear  running  water  in  the  bed  of  the 
creek. 

5.18.  From  White  Clay  Creek  to  Bitter-root  Creek.— Good 

grass  ;  large  willows  on  its  banks  for  fuel. 
10.32.  From  Bitter-root  Creek  to  north  Fork  of  Piney.— Wil- 
lows on  banks ;  one  mile  to  left  pine  and  cottonwood 
timber. 

3.00.  To  middle  Fork  of  Piney  Creek. — Good  grass ;  large 
willows  for  fuel. 

1.51.  From  middle  Fork  to  mouth  of  Piney  Canon. — Canon 
from  a  quarter  to  one  and  a  half  mile  wide. 

7. 70.  From  mouth  of  canon  to  Piney  Fort.  — The  road  through 
the  caiion  crosses  the  creek  eight  different  times ;  all 
the  crossings,  however,  are  good.  You  will  find  sev- 
eral camping-spots  in  the  canon  between  its  mouth 
and  Piney  Fort;  you  had  better  lay  over  at  Piney 
Fort,  as  you  have  excellent  grass,  and  a  block-house, 
with  coiTal  attached.  The  country  for  thirty  miles 
beyond  is  thickly  timbered,  wiiich  will  render  it  nec- 
essary for  you  to  keep  careful  watch  of  your  stock. 
You  should  move  as  rapidly  as  possible  over  to  Salt 
River.  After  leaving  Piney  Fort  the  road  passes  over 
a  ridge  and  crosses  a  small  creek  within  half  a  mile ; 
thence  crosses  mountain 

5.19.  To  Labarge  Creek. — Road  follows  up  creek  for  half  a 

mile,  crosses  and  passes  along  low  ridge  for  a  short 
distance,  when  it  strikes  the 

2.55.  Crossing  of  small  creek  in  valley. 

•  .43.  To  crossing  of  another  small  creek. — Good  grass. 

1.39.  To  crossing  of  Spring  Branch  in  valley. — Inclosed  by 
high  ridges.     After  crossing  another  small  creek,  road 
enters 
.89.  Labarge  Valley. — Good  grass  on  hill  to  right. 

1.81.  To  junction  of  Labarge  and  Spring  Creek. — Road  from 
this  point  lies  over  a  mountainous  country. 

2.57.  From  Spring  Creek  to  first  branch  of  Smith's  Fork  of 
Bear  River. — You  travel  along  this  stream  for  one  and 
three  fourths  of  a  mile.     Good  grass  in  timber. 

7.41  To  Smith's  Fork  of  Bear  River. — Valley  narrow  ;  thick 
growth  of  willows  half  a  mile  up  this  stream  to  right 
from  where  the  I'oad  strikes  it  and  farther.  You  will 
find  good  grass  on  the  hills  and  in  the  valley.  Road 
follows  down  Smith's  Fork  and  crosses 


PACIFIC  WAGON-EOADS.  355 

Miles. 

2.04.  Little  Beaver  Creek. 

1.88.  From  Little  Beaver  Creek  to  spring  near  the  top  of  the 
mountain.  —  Before  reaching  this  point  you  pass 
through  a  small  body  of  aspen  timber.  Be  careful 
here  to  keep  good  watch  of  your  stock,  as  this  timber 
is  very  thick  with  Indian  trails  running  north  and 
south,  upon  which  your  stock  is  apt  to  stray,  and  you 
will  not  be  able  to  recover  them.  You  are  now  leav- 
ing the  friendly  Indians  and  reaching  the  Pannack 
country.  Treat  them  kindly,  or  you  may  have  some 
trouble.  Road  ascends  hill  for  one  fourth  of  a  mile, 
then  descends  gradually.  From  here  to  old  road 
grass  is  very  abundant  in  all  valleys. 

3.91.  To  Salt  River  Valley.— Good  grass. 

1.04.  To  crossing  of  creek. — Gravel  bottom  ;  road  follows  up 
valley 

2.50.  To  crossing  of  Small  Spring  Creek.— Valley  widens, 
and  is  covered  with  excellent  grass. 

5.95.  To  Salt  River  crossing. — Half  a  mile  northeast  of  cross- 
ing, Janvier's  Fork  of  Salt  River,  coming  in  from 
the  right,  unites  with  the  main  stream. 

4.83.  Towestbranch  of  Salt  River. — Good  grass.  Valley  at  this 
point  about  four  miles  wide ;    road  runs  along  valley. 

6.47.  To  Smoky  Creek  (mouth  of  canon). — Road  crosses  creek 
and  enters  canon,  which  is  one  and  a  fourth  mile  long. 

2.00.  To  Red  Willow  Creek. — You  will  find  good  grass  in 
the  bottom. 

3.00.  To  Salt  Bottom. — Surface  of  ground  in  many  places 
white  with  pure  and  excellent  salt.  A  good  laying- 
up  place  to  salt  your  stock.  Water  clear  and  fresh  ; 
grass  very  fine.  Here  the  road  leaves  valley  and  as- 
cends bench,  crossing  several  spring  branches,  keep- 
ing, however,  the  general  direction  of  the  valley. 

4.00.  To  Kinni-Kinnik  Creek  Caiion. — Canon  one  mile  long; 
cross  creek  twice.  After  crossing  seven  spring  branch- 
es and  two  small  creeks  you  come 

3.08.  To  Noon  Creek. — You  then  cross  two  spring  branches 
and  come 

2.43.  To  Flat  Valley  Creek.— Large  valley  of  fine  grass. 

1.75.  Crossing  of  another  creek. — Good  grass  all  the  way 

2.23.  To  large  Grass  Valley,  in  which  is  a  lake  several  miles 
long.  You  travel  up  valley,  on  edge  of  lake,  crossing 
two  sloughs.    At  end  of  valley  you  come 


356  PACIFIC   WAGON-ROADS. 

Miles. 

10.27.  To  a  creek,  which  is  a  branch  of  Otter  Spring  Creek. 
— Fine  grass. 
1.38.  To  Otter  Spring  Creek. — Good  grass. 
7.85.  To  spring  in  valley. — Water  brackish  ;  good  grass. 

.87.  To  branch  of  Blackfoot. — Good  grass. 
1.85.  To  Blackfoot  River. — Crossing  good ;  fine  grass.     You 

leave  river  here  to  right. 
3.53.  To  Granite  Creek. — Good  grass ;  willows  on  creek. 
1.30.  To  crossing  of  creek. 

4.79.  To  point  Avhere  road  leaves  Blackfoot  Eiver.  • 
1.82.  To  Thistle  Creek. — One  mile  to  right  a  small  grove  of 
aspen  timber;  grass  good.     Road  crosses  two  small 
creeks. 
4.89.  To  head  of  Portneuf  River. — Aspen  grove  and  good 

grass  at  crossing. 
1.24.  To  road  from  Soda  Springs. 

1.12.  To  entrance  of  canon. — Spring  branch  runs  through 
this  canon,  which  is  three  fourths  of  a  mile  long ; 
grass  good. 
.89.  To  small  stream  coming  in  from  the  left. 
9.75.  To  two  small  streams  emptying  into  Ross's  Fork. — Fine 
grass. 
. 94 .  To  Emigrant  Road. — Thence  follow  old  Emigrant  Road, 
and  in  one  eighth  of  a  mile  cross  a  small  branch. 
Road  level. 
1.47.  To  Ross's  Creek. — Cross  creek  and  enter  canon,  which 
is  about  one  and  a  half  mile  long. 
11.18.  To  Snake  River  Valley  and  fork  of  roads. — You  take 
right-hand  road  to  Fort  Hall,  and  the  left  to  bridge 
on  Ross's  Fork.     The  latter  is  the  main  or  short  road. 
2.38.  To  bridge  on  Ross's  Fork. — Good  grass.     Road  good. 
8.00.  To  bridge  on  Portn»uf  River. — Fort  Hall  is  in  sight 
from  this  point,  Portneuf  Mountains  to  left.     Fine 
grass,  but  little  timber  in  valley. 
.23.  To  stream  in  Portneuf  Valley. 
.42.  To  slough  in  Portneuf  Valley. 
.60.  To  road  from  Fort  Hall. 
3.15.  To  Fort  Hall  and  Salt  Lake  Road. — Road  from  bridge 
on  Ross's  Fork  lies  over  a  very  level  country,  some- 
times in  valleys,  but  principally  on  bench  land.    Wil- 
lows and  grass  on  creek. 
G.50.  To  Pannack  River. — Good  grass. 
4.36.  To  Irvin's  old  fort. 


PACIFIC   WAGON-EOADS.  35^ 

Miles. 

6.99.  To  Big  Spring. — At  all  the  above  points  you  touch 
Snake  River.  This  spring  is  about  thirty  feet  in 
breadth,  and  is  formed  of  innumerable  small  ones. 

1.93.  To  American  falls  of  Snake  River. — ^You  keep  along 
river,  and  one  mile  on  cross  a  steep  ravine.    Timber. 

3.33.  To  crossing  of  creek. 

1.G6.  To  crossing  of  creek. 

.83.  To  ravine. — Rocky  island  opposite  mouth  of  ravine. 
Fine  grass ;  some  pine  timber.  Within  the  next  three 
miles  you  cross  three  ravines  with  timber  and  grass. 

5.79.  To  crossing  of  creek. — Timber  and  grass.  You  cross  a 
ravine  in  half  a  mile. 

2.91.  To  Fall  Creek. — Steep  bank  on  west  side.  Timber  and 
grass. 

2.03.  Leaving  Snake  River  bottom  to  right. 

6.16.  To  Raft  Creek  crossing. — Good  grass;  willows  for  fuel. 

3. 60.  To  second  crossing  of  Raft  Creek. — Good  grass. 
11.11.  To  third  crossing  of  Raft  Creek. — Good  grass. 

8.81.  To  forks  of  road. — Junction  of  this  road  and  Hudspeth's 
Cut-off. 

3.50.  To  crossing  of  small  stream. — Road  crosses  two  small 
streams  within  the  next  half  mile. 

2.84.  To  Fork  of  Raft  Creek. — Good  grass;  willows  for  fuel. 
10.74.  To  crossing  of  creek. — Good  grass;  no  timber. 

2,00.  To  crossing  of  small  creek. 

2.33.  To  entrance  of  rocky  canon.  — Canon  three  fourths  of 
a  mile  long. 

1.23.  To  City  Rocks. — Good  grass  and  camp-ground  on 
small  spring  branch.  Thence  the  .usual  route  to  Cal- 
ifornia. 


XXXI. — Field-notes  of  the  Location  of  the  Fort 
Midgeley  and  South  Pass  Wag 07i-road^  from  the 
Missouri  River  to  Fort  Bidgeley  ;  Sam.  A.  Med- 
ARY,  Engineer, 

Miles. 

.985.  High  bluffs  overlooking  the  Missouri  River;  country 
rolling. 

.739.  Ravine  to  the  Missouri. 
1.922.  Country  level. 


358  PACIFIC   WAGON-EOADS. 

Miles. 

,705.  Country  level. 
1.022.  Descent  to  the  valley  of  Beaver  Dam  Creek;  course 
west  to   the  Missouri,  and  distant  4   miles.     Good 
wood,  water,  and  grass.     Day's  travel,  14.054  miles. 
Erected  60  mounds.     Sept.  1,  1857. 
.570.  Ascent  from  the  valley  to  high  prairie. 
.809.  Country  level,  and  range  of  ravines  to  the  left. 
2.364.  Country  level  to  blulFs  overlooking  Fort  Look-out. 

.671.   Country  rolling. 

1.097.  Summit  of  coteau  between  Beaver  Creek  and  Crow 
Creek. 
.604.  Rolling  prairie. 
.065.        Do. 
.194.  Deep  ravine. 
.614.   Summit  of  coteau,  etc. 
.811.  Commence  descent  to  Crow  Creek. 
1.378.  Sept.  2,  camped  on  Crow  Creek.     Good  wood,  water, 
and  grass.     Day's  travel,  11.082  miles.     Erected  33 
mounds. 
.234.  Descent  of  bluffs  to  Crow  Creek. 

.273.  Camp  on  south  side  Crow  Creek;  two  creeks  emptying 
into  creek  on  opposite  side ;  well  wooded  ;  good  tim- 
ber on  this  creek  to  its  mouth.     Day's  travel,  4.174 
miles.     Erected  19  mounds.     Sept.  3,  retraced  line 
to  Station  27  for  higher  ground,  the  valley  of  the 
creek  being  soft  land. 
.322.   Country  level. 
2.812.  Low  prairie. 
1.144.  Cross  valley  of  Crow  Creek. 
.731.   Quantities  of  cactus,  and  a  large  prairie  dog  village. 
.653.  Descent  into  valley  leading  to  Crow  Creek. 
.278.  Camped  Sept.  4.     Water  and  grass.     Distance,  10.24? 

miles ;  52  mounds. 
.299.  Country  rolling. 
1.334.   Country  level. 
1.740.  Large  stone  mound. 
.520.  Small  lake,  Sept.  5. 
.819.   Same.     Distance,  17.588  miles;   78  mounds;  2  miles 

beyond,  good  water,  wood,  and  grass. 
.297.  September  6th. 
.280.  Country  rolling. 
.417.  Top  of  bluffs. 
.177.  Sept.  6,  camped  at  foot  of  bluffs.     Good  wood  and 


PACIFIC  WAGON-ROADS.  359 


Miles. 


spring.     Easy  ascent  to  summit.     Distance,  1.709 
miles.     Mounds,  22. 
.692.  Foot  of  slope  of  the  bluffs. 
.622.  Ascent  to  coteau  of  the  James. 
2.205.  Level  prairie. 
2.521.  Small  shallow  lake  to-night. 
2.619.  Crossing  of  Sand  Hill  Creek. 
4.112.  Rolling  prairie. 
1.037.  Top  of  bluff  of  James  River. 
.164.  Foot  of  bluffs,  and  high-water  mark  of  the  James. 
284.  Camp  on  James  River;  82  feet  wide;  from  tops  of 
banks,  123  feet.     Distance,  23  miles.     Mounds,  98. 
Sept.  8,  1857. 
.299.  Camp  on  east  bank,  Sept.  14. 
.229.  Top  of  bluffs. 

.567.  Rolling  prairie  and  marshes  now  dry. 
11.288.  High  level  prairie. 
.372,  Crossed  Morse's  Creek. 
1.480.  Sept.  14,  camped  on  Wolf  Creek,  15  feet  wide;  good 
grass    and    water.     Distance,    18.926    miles;    80 
mounds. 
.900.  Country  level. 
1.810.  Lake  Thompson  to  the  left. 
.465.  Crossed  inlet  of  Lake  Thompson, 
.315.   Rolling  country. 
.686.        Do. 

.097.  Rolling ;  small  country  lake. 
1.087.   Marshy  land. 

.875.  Indian  fortifications  and  small  lake. 
1 .427.  Camped  on  Lizard  Lake ;  no  wood ;  water  bad.     Dis- 
tance, 18.967  miles ;  92  mounds.     September  15. 
.216.  Country  undulating  and  filled  with  small  lakes. 
1.415.  One  mile  north  lake  with  timber. 

.366.  Small  lake  to-night. 
1.540.  Level  country. 
.372.  Willow  Lake. 
.577.   Small  lake. 
1.170.  Small  lakes.  ^  , 

.195.  Camped  on  Perrine  Creek;    good  water,  grass,  and 
wood.    Distance,  18.038  miles ;  125  mounds.    Sep- 
tember 16. 
.600,  Crossed  small  stream. 
.395.  Small  lake. 


360  PACIFIC   WAGON-KOADS. 

MilC3. 

1.908.  Sept.  17,  camped  on  west  bank  of  Big  Sioux  Eiver,  63 
feet  wide ;  good  wood,  water,  and  grass.  Distance, 
5-j^  miles  ;  20  mounds. 

.039.   Crossing  of  the  Sioux. 

.999.  Bottom  between  Sioux  and  Medary  Creek. 

.705.  Bottom  of  Medary  Creek. 
1.313.  High  prairie. 

.687.         Do. 

.827.         Do. 

.540.  Do. 
2.448.  Do. 
1.925.         Do. 

.530.         Do. 

.453.         Do. 

.962.         Do. 

.570.         Do. 

.432.         Do. 

.830.  Do. 
1.307.  Watering-place,  branch  of  Medary  Creek. 

.268.  Crossing  of  small  creek  running  southwesterly. 

.669.  Camp  at  "Hole-in-the-Mountain;"  good  wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass.  Distance,  23.553  miles ;  100  mounds. 
Sept.  19. 

.202.  Descent  of  the  mountain  pass. 

.299.  Crossing  the  mountain  pass. 

.372.  Hills. 

.889.   Small  creek  leading  to  Lake  Benton. 

.326.  Marsh  to  the  left. 

.289.  Indian  village  Grizzly. 

.965.  Bear's  pound. 

.967.  Fine  growth  of  oak  timber. 
1.220.  Lakes  on  both  sides. 

.713.  North  is  Cottonwood  Lake. 

.590.  Lake,  with  timber ;  three  lakes  to  the  right. 

.502.  Crossing  of  Redwood  Eiver,  and  camped  on  east  bank; 
wood,  water,  and  grass  in  abundance.  Distance, 
20.174  miles. 

.465.  Marshy  lands  and  lakes. 

.685.  Lakes,  with  timber. 

.309.  Lakes  near  the  line,  to  left. 

.227.  Rolling  country. 

.494.  Do. 

.939.  Do. 


PACIFIC   WAGON-EOADS.  361 

Miles. 
.772.  Rolling  country. 
.315.  Do. 

1.498.  Creek,  head  of  Cottonwood. 
.487.  Do.  do. 

.408.  Country  rolling,  and  small  grassy  lakes. 
.551.  Do.  do. 

1.165.  Do.  do. 

.614.  Do.  do. 

.650.  Crossing  Cottonwood  River ;  camp  at  Big  Wood  of  the 
Cottonwood;   fine  timber,  water,  and  grass.     Dis- 
tance, 12.124  miles.     September  22. 
15.407.  This  course  crosses  three  good  watering-places  and 
Plum  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  Cottonwood ;  camp  at 
lower  crossings  of  Cottonwood   River.     Distance, 
18.551  miles. 
.  299.  Rolling  country,  with  lakes  and  marshes. 
.986.  Do.  do. 

1.823.  Do.  do. 

2.435.  Do.  do. 

1.628.  Small  creek. 
1.587.  Crossing  of  mouth  of  Cottonwood  River;  water  and 

grass.     Distance,  19.446  miles. 
1.178.  Intersection  of  government  trail  from  Eort  Randall  to 
Fort  Ridgeley  via  Sioux  agency. 
.943.  Grassy   lakes    and   marshes   extending    to   Redwood 

River. 
.260.  Top  of  bluff  of  Minnesota  River ;  descent  150  feet. 
.780.  Bottom  bordering  on  the  Minnesota  River,  with  heavy 
timber;  course  ends  at  Fort  Ridgeley  rope  ferry; 
river  is  150  feet  wide,  with  good  banks. 
.465.  To  Fort  Ridgeley  and  intersection  of  government  road 
to  Fort  Snelling  via  Traverse  de  Sioux  and  Shaka- 
pee. 
Total  distance  from  Fort  Ridgeley  to  Missouri  River, 
254.797  miles. 


362  CAMP   FLOYD   TO   LOS   ANGELES. 

XXXII. — Road  from  Camp  Floyd^  Utah^  to  Los 
Angeles^  California,  From  Major  F.  J.  Por- 
ter's Itinerary. 

Miles. 

From  Camp  Floyd,  U.  T., 

22.2.  To  Goshen. — Road  good,  except  in  very  wet  weather. 
On  Lake  Utah,  13  miles,  good  camps  for  small  parties, 
though  shore  boggy ;  at  Webb's,  16  miles,  good  camp, 
except  for  grass,  which  is  distant  on  the  lake  shore  2 
miles  ;  no  wood ;  sage  for  fuel.  Fuel  and  forage  pur- 
chasable at  Goshen. 

21.6.  To  Nephi,  via  road  leading  to  Summit  City  (a  shorter 
and  good  road  (18  miles),  over  a  mountain  spur  to  Salt 
Creek,  is  passable  for  wagons  only  when  the  marshes  on 
Salt  Creek  are  frozen). — Road  excellent.  In  summer, 
good  camps  on  Salt  Creek  and  at  the  two  mud  cor- 
rals (springs).  Abundance  of  water  on  the  march; 
fuel  must  be  taken  from  the  hills  about  5  miles  from 
Goshen.     Fuel  and  forage  can  be  purchased. 

30.0.  To  Sevier  River. — Good  road.  Pass  Chicken  Creek  (18 
miles),  where  are  excellent  camp-grounds.  Some  of 
the  springs  are  bad  for  cattle,  and  boggy.  Fuel  and 
grass  on  the  river. 

25.0.  To  Cedar  Spring  or  Buttermilk  Fort. — Road  good  in 
dry  weather.  10  miles  from  Sevier  Rivei',  a  small 
stream,  dry  in  summer,  crosses  the  road.  Roads 
branch  off  east  to  water  (good  camp)  4  miles  up  the 
stream.  Take  in  fuel  a  few  miles  from  fort;  grass 
and  water  abundant ;  forage  purchasable. 

21.0.  To  Corn  Creek. — Pass  within  7  miles  Pioneer  Creek 
and  another  small  stream,  generally  dry  in  midsum- 
mer. Fillmore  City  (10  miles  from  Buttermilk  Fort) : 
fuel  and  forage  jierhaps  purchasable  ;  not  a  good  rest- 
ing-place ;  also  Meadow  Creek,  7  miles  beyond,  where 
good  grass  will  be  found  near  the  willows ;  fuel  and 
forage  purchasable.  At  Corn  Creek  settlement  good 
grass  near  willows,  and  forage  purchasable.  The  In- 
dian farm  (Kanosh's  band)  is  located  4  miles  east. 
Emigrants  should  not  camp  close  to  the  willows  here 
and  at  Meadow  Creek,  and  should  have  a  watchful 
guard  over  their  animals :  to  the  Indians  are  attributed 
ail  losses.  Road  good,  except  in  wet  weather,  when 
the  meadows  between  Meadow  and  Corn  Creeks  may 


CAMP   FLOYD   TO    LOS   ANGELES.  363 


Miles, 


be  impassable,  in  which  case  the  road  passes  near  the 
Indian  farm. 

21.00.  To  Cove  Creek. — Road  undulating,  but  good;  no  wa- 
ter on  the  route ;  good  grass,  fuel,  and  water  up  the 
creek  (east)  about  2  miles ;  grass  on  hills. 

"27.00.  To  Beaver  City. — Pass  Pine  Creek,  8  miles,  and  In- 
dian Creek,  20  miles,  both  furnishing  good  camps. 
When  Beaver  Creek  is  swollen  from  melting  snows, 
the  road  passes  about  4  miles  east  of  the  city,  at 
other  times  through  it.  Forage  can  be  purchased 
here ;  good  road. 

20.00.  To  Elk  Horn  Springs.— Pass  Snow  Creek  (12  miles),  on 
which,  when  running  (dry  late  in  summer),  are  good 
camps.  Good  camp,  though  water  may  be  alkaline 
in  summer ;  fuel  sage ;  road  good. 

21.50.  To  Summit  (jreek. — Road  good.  Pass  a  small  creek, 
10  miles;  grass  and  water.  Red  Fort,  12|-  miles. 
Parowan,  17|- miles:  tolerable  camps  only  ;  better  one 
mile  beyond,  at  spring  east  of  road,  at  base  of  hill ; 
grass  and  fuel  on  hills ;  fuel  and  forage  in  any  quan- 
tity purchasable  at  Parowan.  At  Summit  Creek, 
grass,  water,  and  sage. 

31.54.  To  Warm  Springs  or  Little  Pynte. — Pass  Johnson's 
Settlement  (4  or  5  houses)  west  of  road,  4  miles  from 
camp;  good  camp-ground.  Cedar  City  (13.34  miles), 
nearly  deserted  ;  bad  camp  ;  forage,  in  small  quanti- 
ty, probably  purchasable,  but  not  to  be  relied  upon. 
At  the  south  end  of  the  field  the  road  forks;  the 
southern  branch  leads  to  Harmony  and  Santa  Clara, 
the  western  is  the  main  road,  and  passes  through  the 
Mountain  Meadows.  From  Cedar  (jity,  first  6  or  8 
miles  through  alkaline  plain,  a  small  ravine,  contain- 
ing Leech's  Spring,  left  of  road  (water  for  a  small 
party  only),  and  a  small  valley  with  water  south  of 
road.  Road  undulating  and  good.  The  water  at 
the  springs  is  Avarm  and  not  good ;  grass  and  wood 
abundant  for  as  large  parties  as  will  travel  this  route. 

34.00.  To  Santa  Clara.— Pass  Big  Pynte  (6  miles),  a  small 
stream  and  settlement  of  6  or  8  houses;  tolerable 
camp  for  a  small  party ;  a  little  forage  probably  pro- 
curable ;  Mountain  Meadows  (12  miles) ;  Hamblin's 
Ranch,  left  of  road  (11  miles),  one  mile  beyond  which 
is  the  scene  of  the  massacre  of  1857,  and  a  good 


364  CAMP   FLOYD  TO   LOS   ANGELES. 

Miles. 

camp-ground.  Six  miles  from  this  camp  take  road 
to  left,  to  avoid  crossing  a  lofty  hill-road,  and  turn  to 
the  right,  and  descend  some  2000  feet  to  the  Santa 
Clara.  Pass  several  small  tributaries  of  Santa  Clara. 
Good  camp  2  miles  below  first  point  of  striking  river. 
Cross  stream  13  times  (careful  driving),  and  camp 
below,  where  road  leaves  the  Santa  Clara ;  a  narrow 
pass  for  pack  animals  leading  to  Hamblin's  Fort  on 
Santa  Clara,  Washington,  Harmony,  etc.  The  grass 
is  usually  so  abundant  at  the  Mountain  Meadows  that 
trains  generally  recruit  here  several  days.  All  per- 
sons should  be  on  their  guard  against  Indians.  Hence 
to  Cajon  Pass  they  are  impudent  and  treacherous  to 
Americans. 

27.31.  To  Cottonwood  Creek  (Beaver  Dams). — Pass  springs 
(1\  miles).  Lower  springs  good ;  also  the  upper  when 
the  water  is  running  freely ;  at  other  times  the  latter 
are  alkaline,  and  injurious  to  animals.  Water  at  lower 
springs  for  small  party ;  grass  ;  sage  for  fuel.  Road 
to  Cottonwood  good,  occasionally  sandy  and  rocky. 
No  grass  at  Cottonwood  except  in  the  thick  cane; 
willow  and  Cottonwood  are  substitutes  for  horses  and 
mules. 

30.00.  To  last  crossing  of  the  Virgin. — The  ascent  from  the 
valley  of  the  Cottonwood  is  very  heavy,  on  account 
of  sand,  as  is  the  road  during  the  whole  distance. 
Road  crosses  the  river  14  times,  and  skirts  it  nearly 
all  the  way :  1st  crossing  about  6  miles  from  Cotton- 
wood; 2d,  2  miles  beyond;  3d  and  4th  follow  in 
quick  succession ;  5th  and  6th,  about  1  mile  beyond ; 
7th,  about  8  miles  from  the  6th;  8th,  2  miles  be- 
yond; 9th,  6  miles  farther;  10th,  2f,  followed  with- 
in 2i  miles  by  the  11th,  12th,  13th,  and  14th.  Cross- 
ings good.  The  1st,  8th,  and  14th  crossings  furnish 
good  camp-grounds  for  some  hundred  animals,  and 
in  many  places  along  the  road  small  parties  will  find 
sufficient  grass.  Beyond  the  last  crossing  about  1 
mile  the  road  touches  the  river  for  the  last  time,  and 
turns  off"  to  ascend  to  the  bench  land  on  which  the 
road  to  the  Muddy  lies.  All  trains  should  reach  this 
point  and  camp  one  night  before  attempting  to  leave 
the  valley.  Good  camps  can  be  made  about  1  mile 
down  the  river. 


CAMP   FLOYD   TO   LOS   ANGELES.  365 

Miles. 

18.75.  To  Muddy. — Ascend  for  1  mile  a  veiy  steep  and  diffi- 
cult hill,  too  steep  for  loaded  teams.  Sometimes  the 
Indians  on  the  Virgin  collect  here  to  pack  on  their 
backs,  for  small  compensation  (flour,  tobacco,  old 
clothes,  etc.),  the  loads  of  wagons.  To  the  hill  de- 
scending into  the  valley  (14  miles)  of  the  Muddy  the 
road  is  very  stony  and  rocky ;  thence  it  is  of  heavy 
sand  to  within  a  mile  of  the  Muddy,  where  the  ground 
becomes  boggy.  Fuel,  and  grass,  and  water  below, 
where  the  road  touches  the  river.     Good  camp. 

51.32.  To  Vegas  (deserted  Mormon  settlement). — This  jour- 
ney is  generally  made  at  nights,  parties  canying  wa- 
ter for  their  animals,  and  resting  a  few  hours  on  the 
desert.  Up  the  Muddy  about  2  miles  (crossing  three 
sloughs,  which  require  care,  and  which  it  would  be 
well  to  bridge  with  willows  or  mesquite),  to  the  cross- 
ing, where  the  banks  furnish  a  good  camp  for  wood, 
water,  and  grass.  Leaving  the  river,  the  road  winds 
up  a  ravine  some  6  miles :  it  is  either  very  heavy  with 
sand  or  gravel,  or  very  stony.  Except  occasional  stony 
parts,  and  a  few  miles  of  sand  about  the  middle  of 
the  journey,  the  remainder  of  the  road  is  very  good. 
Good  camp-ground  adjacent  the  walls:  fuel,  grass, 
and  water  (running)  abundant  for  a  large  train.  If 
requiring  rest,  this  is  a  good  (the  only)  point  to  re- 
cruit animals  before  attempting  the  desert. 

29.50.  To  Mountain  Springs. — Ascend  the  Vegas  3  miles. 
Some  good  camps.  Road  to  Cottonwood  Spring  (19 
miles)  and  beyond  is  sandy,  rocky,  hilly,  and  heavy 
for  loaded  teams ;  water  abundant,  and  grass  enough 
for  a  small  party.  About  2  miles  beyond  is  good 
grazing,  and  water  may  sometimes  be  obtained  by 
digging  on  the  left  of  the  road;  fuel.  No  grass  at 
Mountain  Springs ;  sage  and  greasewood  only  as  sub- 
stitutes ;  wood  abundant.  If  the  number  of  animals 
in  the  train  exceed  fifty,  it  will  be  well  to  send  for- 
ward and  build  dams  to  collect  the  water.  The 
spring  is  immediately  on  the  road. 

43.25.  To  Kingston's  (King's)  Springs. — 7  miles  from  Mount- 
ain Springs  the  road  to  Bitter  Springs  via  Resting 
Springs  branches  to  the  right.  It  is  more  sandy  than 
the  left-hand  road,  though  shorter,  and  the  distances 
between  water  are  not  so  great.     It  is  rarely  travel- 


366  CAMP   FLOYD   TO   LOS   ANGELES. 

Miles. 

ed.  To  this  point,  and  3  miles  farther,  the  road  Is 
excellent;  then  alternately  stony,  rocky,  and  very 
sandy  for  14  miles  to  the  divide,  beyond  which  for  12 
miles  it  runs  along  the  bed  of  a  dry  creek  (sandy  and 
gravelly),  till  at  a  prominent  point  of  a  hill  on  the 
left,  when  a  branch  continues  for  half  a  mile  to  a 
small  well,  sometimes  called  Cowdry's  Hole,  a  toler- 
able camping-place  for  small  parties.  The  main  road 
turns  short  to  the  left,  and,  passing  over  a  few  hills 
(2i  miles),  strikes  King's  Springs.  No  grass  to  be 
relied  upon,  and  fuel  scarce.  The  cold  springs  {salt) 
are  very  injurious  to  7nan  and  beast.  The  warm 
springs  (running  water)  are  wholesome.  Animals 
should  not  be  turned  loose  to  drink  where  they  wish. 

41.00.  To  Bitter  Springs. — For  9  miles  the  road  is  descending 
and  very  stony ;  at  times  sandy.  It  passes  over  a  se- 
ries of  mountain  spurs,  and  passes,  and  sandy  val- 
leys. A  few  miles  from  the  springs  is  a  white  clay 
bar,  along  which  the  road  winds,  sending  off  tracks 
to  camps  at  water-holes  (salt).  The  road  is  firm  and 
good  for  the  last  12  miles.  The  springs  are  on  both 
sides  of  the  road ;  some  wholesome,  while  others  are 
very  injurious  on  account  of  alkali.  A  pint  ofjlour 
stirred  into  every  bucketful  of  this  kind  of  water  coun- 
teracts the  injurious  effects  of  the  alkali  upon  animals. 
No  grass  to  be  relied  upon  near  the  springs, 

31. 12.  To  Mohave  River. — The  road  branches  at  Bitter  Springs. 

The  branch  to  the  right  strikes  the  Mohave  (31.12 
miles)  18  miles  higher  up  than  the  other,  and  is  a 
better  road,  having  less  sand.  No  water  on  the  road. 
Where  the  other  branch  strikes  the  Mohave  (14  miles) 
will  be  found  grass,  wood,  and  water,  and  also  at  in- 
tervals on  the  river,  in  the  valley  of  which  the  road 
continues  for  75  miles.  This  road  is  very  heavy,  and 
offers  no  inducement  to  travelers  other  than  that  wa- 
ter and  grass  are  abundant  to  recruit  enfeebled  ani- 
mals. Distance  32  miles.  Water  in  holes ;  wood ; 
grass  very  good,  and  abundant  for  a  thousand  ani- 
mals. 

52.13.  To  last  crossing  of  Mohave. — Ascending  the  river,  good 

camps  can  be  made  at  suitable  intervals  by  digging 
for  water.  Conspicuous  places  are  the  Fish  Pond 
(11^  miles),  2  miles  west  of  Sugarloaf  (an  isolated 


CAMP   FLOYD   TO   LOS    ANGELES.  367 

Miles. 

knob) ;  Point  of  Rocks,  6  miles  beyond — at  each  of 
which  will  bo  found  wood  and  grass,  and  generally 
water.  Above  the  last  the  road  strikes  the  river  in 
many  places,  and  at  all  cottonwood  groves  will  be 
found  good  camp-grounds.  When  the  road  rises  to 
the  bluff,  or  leaves  the  main  bed  of  the  river,  travel- 
ers must  expect,  before  again  seeing  water  or  grass,  to 
pass  over  4  to  10  miles  of  heavy  sand.  Tolerable  good 
camp-ground  near  Lane's  Ranch,  and  immediately 
beyond  last  crossing,  near  house.  Grass  in  the  wil- 
lows. Hay  may  be  purchased,  and  perhaps  grain, 
both  of  the  American  and  Mormon  competitors  for 
travelers'  custom. 

38.23.  To  Martin's  Ranch. — About  8  miles  from  Mohave  a 
trail  for  pack-animals  takes  to  the  left,  and  dimin- 
ishes the  time  of  travel  a  few  hours.  About  18  miles 
a  road  turns  to  the  left  and  descends  into  the  Cajon 
Pass  along  a  difficult,  dangerous,  and  very  steep 
ridge  (Hog's  Back) :  loaded  wagons  should  not  take 
it ;  a  few  miles  only  gained.  About  4  miles  beyond 
where  this  road  turns  off,  the  road  to  Fort  Tajon 
takes  to  the  right.  By  cai-rying  water,  travelers  can 
give  their  animals  good  grazing  at  several  places  on 
the  road.  Summit  of  Cajon  Pass,  23  miles  from 
Mohave ;  grass  in  summer ;  fuel ;  no  water ;  road 
good.  Old  house  in  Kanyon  (8.66  miles) ;  road 
quite  sandy,  but  all  descent  (wood,  water,  and  some 
little  grass  in  season,  but  not  to  be  relied  upon). 
Martin's  Ranch  (7.45  miles)  ;  road  rocky  and  sandy ; 
descending,  crossing  the  stream  several  times :  good 
camps  for  small  parties  may  be  made  on  the  stream. 
Here  and  beyond  one  half  mile  will  be  found  an  ex- 
cellent camp-ground.     Water  at  Martin's  Ranch. 

25.53.  To  Mud  Springs  (Cinuguilla  de  San  Jose). — First  part 
of  road  rocky;  remainder  good.  At  Cocamongo 
(14.08  miles)  wood,  water,  and  grass  (encamp  on 
creek  above  where  first  struck).  Pass  Smith's  Ranch 
(8  miles  beyond)  2  miles,  and  take  left-hand  road  to 
camp  ;  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

28.42.  To  Los  Angeles. — Road  good;  water  and  grass  on  the 
route.  To  Old  Mission,  18.32  miles;  wood,  water, 
and  grass.  Hence  to  Los  Angeles,  10.10  miles: 
wood,  water,  and  grass  above  the  town. 


368  CAMP   FLOYD   TO    GENOA. 

N.B. — The  road  through  Harmony,  Washington,  ^Sawia  Clara, 
and  Jacob's  Tivist  to  the  California  road  should  never  be  taken 
by  wagons.  It  is  hilly,  in  places  very  rocky,  sandy,  and  bog- 
gy. Jacob's  Twist  is  a  winding  canon,  with  sides  of  solid 
rock,  and  too  narrow  for  wagons.  No  loaded  vehicle  should 
enter  it.  There  are  no  inducements  to  go  this  route  other  than 
to  avoid  storms  at  the  Mountain  Meadows,  as  little  or  noth- 
ing can  be  purchased  at  the  few  small  miserable  troglodyte  set- 
tlements through  which  it  passes.  It  is  a  good  winter  route 
for  pack  animals. 

On  account  of  Indians,  travelers  should,  on  the  inarch,  al- 
ways be  armed,  and  never  separated  into  parties  of  one  or  two ; 
always  on  the  alert,  and,  when  in  camp,  ready  at  every  mo- 
ment to  seize  and  use  their  arms. 


XXXIII. — Itinerary  of  the  more  southern  Wag- 
on-route of  Captain  J.  H.  Simpson,  Topograph- 
ical Engineers^  XI.  jS.  Army,  from  Camp  Floyd, 
II.  T.,  to  Ge7ioa,  in  Carson  Vctlley,  through  the 
Great  Salt  lake  Basin,  explored  hy  him  in  1859, 
under  instructio7is  from  General  A.  S.  Johnston, 
commanding  the  Department  of  Utah. 

Miles. 

From  Camp  Floyd  to 
18i.  Meadow  Creek. — Sage  wood,  water,  grass. 
10.  Junction  with  outward  route  in  Gen.  Johnston's  Pass. — 
Wood,  grass. 
1 1^.  Brewer's  Spring. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
h\.  Porter's  Creek. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
2t\.  Prince's  Creek. — Wood,  water,  grass. 

16.  Good  Indian  Spring. — Water  collected  in  troughs ;  wood, 

grass. 
141.  Big  Horn  Spring. — Water  sometimes  by  digging ;  not  re- 
liable. 
3i.  Summit  of  range  west  of  Big  Horn  Spring. 

17.  Tyler's  Spring,  Creek,  and  Canon. — Stock  driven  to  creek 

three  fourths  of  a  mile  northwest  of  spring ;  wood,  wa- 
ter, grass, 
15|.  Chapin's  Spring,  Creek,  and  Canon. — Animals  driven  to 
creek  1  \  miles  above  ;  wood,  water,  grass. 


CAMP   FLOYD  TO   GENOA.  369 

Miles. 
2^.  Summit  of  House  Range. 
12i.  Rush  Pond. — Scarcely  any  thing  more  than  a  watering- 
place  ;  sage  wood,  water,  rushes. 
20i.  Plympton's  Springs. — Several  within  a  mile ;  sage  wood, 

water,  grass. 
lOi.  Crosman's  Creek. — Willow,  water,  grass. 
4.  Rush  Spring  in  Crosman  Valley. — Sage  wood,  water, 
grass. 
5^.  Cross  Dry  Branch. — ^Water  running  above ;  wood,  water. 
21.  Forks  of  Road. —Take  right. 

2f .  Un-go-pah,  or  Red  Springs. — Several  also  in  vicinity ;  wil- 
low, water,  grass. 
7^.  Summit  of  Tots-arrhor,  high  mountain  range,  generally 

called  Goshoot  Moiintain. 
2.  Turnley's  Springs  and  Caiion. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
8.  Springs  in  Antelope  Valley. — Sage  wood,  water,  grass. 
12i.  Water  and  grass  reported  half  a  mile  to  left  of  road,  in  a 
branch  canon. 
li.  Summit  of  Un-go-we-ah,  or  Pine  Range. 

2.  Grass  and  water  along  creek  for  Si  miles  from  spring. — 

Wood,  water,  grass. 
3i.   Stephenson's  Creek  and  Canon. — ^Wood,  water,  grass. 
7i.  Cross  Stephenson's  Creek. — Sage  wood,  water,  grass. 
si.  Cross  Murry's  Creek. — Willow  and  sage  wood,  water, 

grass. 
5f .  Gate  of  Hercules,  to  right  of  road,  i  mile. — ^Wood,  water, 

grass. 
8i.  Spring  Canon. — Several  springs  within  the  compass  of 

half  a  mile.     Wood,  water,  grass. 

3.  Summit  of  Mont-tim  Range. 

31-.  Hurt's  Spring  and  Canon. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
12.  Ute  Pete's  Spring  and  Canon. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
1.  Summit  of  Too-muntzor  Black-head  Range   Spring. — 
Wood,  water,  grass. 
32^.  Bluff  Creek  (18  miles  saved  by  keeping  in  a  southwest  di- 
rection across  the  valley  to  the  mouth  of  Neill's  Creek, 
as  indicated  by  the  pointer  in  mid- valley.     In  this  case 
this  camp  not  used). — Water  sinks  sometimes  below 
caiion.     Sage  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
8.  Neill's  Creek  and  Canon. — Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
1.  Summit  of  We-a-bah  range  of  mountains. 
If.  Grass  and  water  along  M'Carthy's  Creek  for  0^  miles. 
Wood. 

Aa 


370  CAMP   FLOYD   TO   GENOA. 

Miles. 
6^.  Sink  of  McCarthy's  Creek  and  Caiion. — Sage  wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass. 
lOiT.  Lee's  Springs. — Sage  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
5i.  Clay  Creek. — Water  in  holes ;  grass  along  creek  above 

and  below ;  sage  wood. 
62^.  Fountain  Springs. — About  2  acres  of  rush  grass ;  sage 
wood  and  water. 

1.  Cross  outward  route. 

2.  Twin  Springs. — Barr's  Springs  half  a  mile  north  ;  grass  in 

vicinity  sufficient  for  small  parties ;  sage  wood  and  wa- 
ter. 
5.  Join  outward  route. 

li.  Wons-in-dam-me,  or  Antelope  Creek. — Wood,  water,  and 
grass. 

li-  Leave  outward  route. — Take  left  hand. 

3.  Cross  Saw-wid  Creek. — ^Water  running  one  mile  above 

the  road ;  grass  in  canon ;  sage  wood. 
2^.  Cross  Dry  Creek. — Water  running  one  fourth  mile  above 

the  road ;  grass  in  caiion ;  sage  wood. 
12i-.  Join  outward  route. 
2j.  Leave  outward  route. — Take  left  hand. 
3.  Water  and  grass  found  along  Won-a-ho-no-pe  Creek  from 
spring  where  road  joins  outward  route.     Wood,  water, 
and  grass. 
5j.  Simpson's  Park  and  Lake. — ^Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

5.   Summit  of  Pe-er-re-eb,  or  high  mountain  range. 
4:^.  Leave  outward  road. — Take  left  hand. 
5.  Cross  Keese's  River. — Fuel  to  be  brought;   water  and 

grass, 
i.  Eeese's  Eiver. — Fuel  to  be  brought ;  water  and  grass. 
i.  Junction  with  outward  route. 
17.  Leave  outward  route. — Take  right  hand ;  left-hand  road  4 
miles  shorter,  but  more  rugged  over  the  Se-day-e,  or 
Look-out  Mountain.     Best  early  in  the  season  for  trains 
going  west,  and  always  best  for  cattle-herds ;  water 
and  grass  at  intervals  of  2i,  10,  3,  3,  3,  7,  8  (total  36^) 
miles  to  junction  with  more  northern  route. 
3^.  Kirby  Smith's  Creek,  in  Woodruff  Valley.— Some  grass 
along  creek,  more  at  the  mouth  of  canon ;  sage  wood 
and  water. 
3i.  Mouth  of  Kirby  Smith's  Creek.— Wood,  water,  and  grass. 
3.  Road  leaves  Kirby  Smith's  Creek.— Wood,  water,  and 
grass. 


CAMP   FLOYD  TO   GENOA.  371 

Miles. 
li.  Summit  of  Pass  of  Se-day-e,  or  Look-out  Mountain, 
i.  Grass  and  water  for  7  miles  along  Edward  Creek  ;  wood. 
7.  Edward  Creek. — Willow  and  sage  wood,  water  and  grass. 
Hi.  Cold  Springs  in  Dodge  Valley. — Sage  wood,  water,  and 
grass. 
9.  Cross  small  branch  and  join  outward  route. — Water  some- 
times running,  sometimes  in  holes. 
1|.  Middle  Gate. — At  times  running  water,  at  others  got  by 
digging ;  sage  wood,  water,  and  grass. 
23i.  Leave  outward  route. — Take  left  hand ;  water  by  digging, 
not  palatable. 
7f .  Sulphur  Spring. — Little  or  no  grass  in  the  vicinity ;  wa- 
ter scant. 
2^.  Very  small  warm  spring. — Very  little  grass  in  vicinity. 
6i.  East  shore  of  Carson  Lake. — Fuel  should  be  brought; 

join  outward  route ;  water,  rushes. 
4^.  Leave  Captain   Simpson's   outward  road. — Take   right 

hand. 
71.  Leave  Carson  Lake. — Fuel  brought;  water,  grass. 
23|r.  Carson  River. — Road  keeps  in  valley  of  Carson  River, 
with  slight  deviations,  for  25  miles.     Wood,  water,  and 
grass  can  be  found  at  convenient  points ;  wood,  water, 


25.  Ford  of  Carson  River,  at  Pleasant  Grove,  where  route 
joins  old  Humboldt  River  road,  18  miles;  or  ford  near 
China  Town. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
h  China  Town. 
111.  Carson  City. — Sage  wood,  water,  grass. 
131^.  Genoa. — ^Wood,  water,  grass. 

Total  distance,  568  miles ;  or,  regarding  cut-off  in  Buell 
Valley,  560  miles. 


8/2  CAMP    FLOYD   TO    GENOA. 

XXXIV. — Itinerary  of  the  more  northern  Wagon- 
route  of  Capt.  J.  H.  Simpson,  from  Camp  Floyd 
to  junction  with  the  n^ore  southern  route  to  Ge- 
Qioa^  in  Carson  Valley^  Utah  Territory.  This  is 
the  present  California  Mail  a7id  Pony  Express 
route. 

Miles. 

From  Camp  Floyd  to 
18.2.  Meadow  Creek. — Cedar  fuel  brought  from  vicinity  of 

Camp  Floyd  Pass  ;  wood,  water,  grass. 
9.9.  Spring  one  eighth  of  mile  to  right  of  Pass. — This  spring 
furnishes  but  little  water  even  in  the  spring,  and  in  the 
summer  would  be  most  probably  dry ;  water,  wood, 
grass. 
16.2.  Simpson's  Spring. — Wood  on  slope  of  mountain,  at  rath- 
er inconvenient  distance ;  greasewood  in  abundance ; 
water  not  abundant ;  grass. 
43.1.  Devil's  Hole. — "Water  slightly  brackish. 
5.4.  Fish  Springs,  Mail  Station. — Greasewood  fuel;  grass  in 
tolerable  quantity  on  side  of  mountain. 

3.4.  Warm  Springs. — Old  mail  station ;  greasewood,  water, 

grass. 
28.8.  Sulphur  Springs. — ^Water  in  abundance,  and  palatable  to 
man  and  beast ;  grass  abundant ;  willow  and  sage. 

13.4.  Spring  in  Pleasant  Valley. — Wood,  water,  grass. 

12.5,  East  side  of  Antelope  Valley. — Short  distance  up  ravine, 

wood,  water,  grass  in  abundance. 
19.0.  Spring  Valley. — Abundance  of  water  and  salt  grass ;  lit- 
tle good  grass  on  east  side  of  valley;  an  abundance  on 
bench  and  slope  of  west  side  of  the  valley ;  grease- 
wood convenient ;  cedar  on  slopes  of  hills. 

3.5.  Crossing  of  marsh  in  Spring  Valley. — Here  road  takes 

up  a  fine  mountain  stream ;  grass  and  wood  all  along 

creek ;  fine  from  one  mile  above  Spring  Valley. 
3.5    Road  leaves  creek. — Wood,  water,  grass. 
2.8.  Spring  in  ravine,  from  which  issues  a  copious  stream. — 

Fine  grass  in  this  ravine ;  wood. 
1.3.  Mail  Station  on  east  slope  of  Steptoe  Valley.— Fine  grass 

in  vicinity ;  wood,  water. 
6.5.  Steptoe  Creek. — Dry  in  summer;  greasewood  and  grass. 
6.8.   Mouth  of  Egan  Canon. — Fine  stream  comes  down;  fine 

grass  on  the  side  hills;  wood  and  water. 


CAMP    FLOYD    TO    GENOA.  373 

Miles. 
1.9.   Spring,  source  of  Egan  Creek. — About  half  a  mile  below 
summit  of  divide  between  StejDtoc  Valley  and  Eound 
Prairie.     Wood,  water,  and  grass. 

16.2.  West  side  of  Butte  Valley. — A  very  small  dug  well  high 
up  the  hill,  barely  sufficient  for  cooking  purposes,  not 
sufficient  for  the  animals  of  a  command;  grass  1^ 
miles  northeast  from  mail  station,  up  a  side  hill. 
This  station  since  changed  to  water,  it  is  said,  in  vicin- 
ity ;  wood  and  grass. 

12.0.  One  mile  below  summit,  west  side,  in  ravine,  descending 
to  Ruby  Valley,  plenty  of  grass. — Spring  can  be  made 
available  for  large  command ;  wood. 

9.2.  Ruby  Valley. — Cedars  and  grass  on  west  side  of  valley 

three  miles  off;  greasewood  fuel ;  fine  spring. 

14.4.  Huntingdon's  Creek,  south  fork   of  Humboldt. — Rapid 

stream,  six  feet  wide,  half  foot  deep. 

3.3.  Small  mountain  stream,  west  side  of  valley  of  south  fork 

of  Humboldt  or  Huntingdon's  Creek. — Fine  grass  to- 
ward the  mountain,  and  greasewood. 

1.2.   Spring  right  of  road. — Sage  wood  and  grass. 

5.8.  Near  west  foot  of  Cho-kup's  Pass. — Splendid  and  abun- 
dant grass,  sage  wood,  and  water. 

7.8.  Spring  in  mid  Pah-hun-nupe  Valley. — Sage  wood,  wa- 
ter, and  grass. 

5.6.  Spring  west  side  of  Pah-hun-nupe  Valley. — Water  slight- 
ly sulphurous,  but  not  unpalatable;  marsh  grass,  some 
of  bunch  kind,  not  abundant,  in  canon  northwest  of 
camp ;  greasewood. 
14.9.  She-o-wi-teor  Willow  Creek,  in  Kobah  Valley. — Rapid, 
four  feet  wide,  one  foot  deep ;  has  some  willows  upon  it. 
Sage  fuel;  cedar  in  the  mountains  (some  ten  miles 
saved  by  taking  a  southwest  direction  from  this  camp 
to  water  and  grass  at  base  of  mountain  range,  some 
twenty-two  miles  off)  ;  sage  wood. 

16.5.  Junction  with  Capt.  Simpson's  outward  route,  which  is 

practicable  for  wagons. 
2.0.  Twin  Springs. — Barr's  Springs  half  mile  north ;  grass  in 
vicinity  sufficient  for  small  parties  ;  sage  wood,  water. 
From  this  point  follow  Capt.  Simpson's  more  south- 
ern route,  according  to  Itinerary  No.  XXXIII.,  which 
will  make  the  total  distance  by  this  route,  from  Camp 
Floyd  to  Genoa,  583i  miles ;  and  if  the  Southern  Pass, 
throixgh  the  Se-day-e  or  Look-out  Mountain  is  taken, 
the  total  distance  will  be  529.}  miles. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


A.  Portable  Boat. 

A  BOAT  has  been  invented  by  Colonel  E.  C,  Buchanan,  of 
the  army,  which  has  been  used  in  several  expeditions  in  Ore- 
gon and  in  Washington  Territory,  and  has  been  highly  com- 
mended by  several  experienced  officers  who  have  had  the  op- 
portunity of  giving  its  merits  a  practical  service  test. 

It  consists  of  an  exceedingly  light  framework  of  thin  and 
narrow  boards,  in  lengths  suitable  for  packing,  connected  by 
hinges,  the  different  sections  folding  into  so  small  a  compass  as 
to  be  conveniently  carried  upon  mules.  The  frame  is  covered 
with  a  sheet  of  stout  cotton  canvas,  or  duck,  secured  to  the 
gunwales  with  a  cord  running  diagonally  back  and  forth 
through  eyelet-holes  in  the  upper  edge. 

When  first  placed  in  the  water  the  boat  leaks  a  little,  but 
the  canvas  soon  swells  so  as  to  make  it  sufficiently  tight  for  all 
practical  purposes.  The  great  advantage  to  be  derived  from 
the  use  of  this  boat  is,  that  it  is  so  compact  and  portable  as  to 
be  admirably  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  campaigning  in  a 
country  where  the  streams  are  liable  to  rise  above  a  fording 
stage,  and  where  the  allowance  of  transportation  is  small. 

It  may  be  put  together  or  taken  apart  and  packed  in  a  very 
few  minutes,  and  one  mule  suffices  to  transport  a  boat,  with  all 
its  appurtenances,  capable  of  sustaining  ten  men. 

Should  the  canvas  become  torn,  it  is  easily  repaired  by  put- 
ting on  a  patch,  and  it  does  not  rot  or  crack  like  India-rubber 
or  gutta-percha ;  moreover,  it  is  not  affected  by  changes  of  cli- 
mate or  temperature. 


378  APPENDIX. 

B.    Winter  Traveling. 

In  traveling  through  deep  snow,  horses  will  be  found  much 
better  than  mules,  as  the  latter  soon  become  discouraged,  lie 
down,  and  refuse  to  put  forth  the  least  exertion,  while  the  for- 
mer will  work  as  long  as  their  strength  holds  out. 

When  the  snow  is  dry,  and  not  deeper  than  2i  feet,  horses 
in  good  condition  will  walk  through  it  without  much  difficulty, 
and  throw  aside  the  snow  so  as  to  open  quite  a  track.  If  there 
are  several  horses  they  should  be  changed  frequently,  as  the 
labor  upon  the  leading  one  is  veiy  severe.  When  the  snow  is 
deeper  than  2^  feet,  it  becomes  very  difficult  for  animals  to 
wade  through  it,  and  they  soon  weary  and  give  out.  The  best 
plan,  under  such  circumstances  (and  it  is  the  one  I  adopted  in 
crossing  the  Kocky  Mountains,  where  the  snow  was  from  two 
to  five  feet  upon  the  ground),  is  to  place  all  the  disposable  men 
in  advance  of  the  animals  to  break  the  track,  requiring  them  to 
alternate  from  front  to  rear  at  regular  intervals  of  time.  In 
this  manner  a  track  is  beaten  over  which  animals  pass  with 
comparative  ease. 

"VYlien  the  snow  increases  to  about  four  feet,  it  is  impossible 
for  the  leading  men  to  walk  erect  through  it,  and  two  or  three 
of  them  are  compelled  to  crawl  upon  their  hands  and  knees,  all 
being  careful  to  place  their  hands  and  feet  in  the  same  holes 
that  have  been  made  by  those  in  advance.  This  packs  the 
snow  so  that  it  will  sustain  the  others  walking  erect,  and  after 
20  or  30  have  passed  it  becomes  sufficiently  firm  to  bear  up  the 
animals.  This,  of  course,  is  an  exceedingly  laborious  and  slow 
process,  but  it  is  the  only  alternative  when  a  party  finds  itself 
in  the  midst  of  very  deep  snows  in  a  wilderness.  Animals,  in 
walking  over  such  a  track  as  has  been  mentioned,  will  soon 
acquire  the  habit  of  placing  their  feet  in  the  holes  that  have 
been  made  by  the  men ;  and,  indeed,  if  they  lose  the  step  or 
miss  the  holes,  they  will  fall  down  or  sink  to  their  bellies. 

Early  in  the  winter,  when  the  snow  first  falls  in  the  Kocky 


APPENDIX.  379 

Mountains,  it  is  so  light  and  dry  that  snow-shoes  can  not  be 
used  to  advantage.  "We  tried  the  experiment  when  we  crossed 
the  mountains  in  December  and  January,  but  found  it  impos- 
sible to  walk  upon  them. 

Should  a  party,  in  a  country  where  the  snow  is  deep,  have 
the  misfortune  to  lose  its  animals  by  freezing,  the  journey  can 
not  be  continued  for  any  great  length  of  time  without  devising 
some  method  of  transporting  subsistence  besides  that  of  carry- 
ing it  upon  the  backs  of  the  men,  as  they  are  unable  to  break  a 
track  through  deep  snow  when  loaded  down  in  this  way. 

The  following  plan  has  suggested  itself  to  me  as  being  the 
most  feasible,  and  it  is  the  one  I  resolved  to  adopt  in  the  event 
of  losing  our  mules  faster  than  we  required  them  for  subsistence 
when  we  passed  the  Mountains. 

Take  willow,  or  other  flexible  rods,  and  make  long  sleds,  less 
in  width  than  the  track,  securing  the  cross-pieces  with  raw- 
hide thongs.  Skin  the  animals,  and  cut  the  hides  into  pieces 
to  fit  the  bottom  of  the  sleds,  and  make  them  fast,  with  the  hair 
on  the  upper  side.  Attach  a  raw-hide  thong  to  the  front  for 
drawing  it,  and  it  is  complete.  In  a  very  cold  climate  the  hide 
soon  freezes,  becomes  very  solid,  and  slips  easily  over  the  snow. 
The  meat  and  other  articles  to  be  transported  are  then  placed 
upon  the  sled  so  as  not  to  project  over  the  sides,  and  lashed 
firmly.  Lieutenant  Cresswell,  who  was  detached  from  Captain 
M'Clure's  ship  in  the  Arctic  regions  in  1853,  says  his  men 
dragged  200  pounds  each  upon  sledges  over  the  ice.  They 
could  not,  of  course,  pull  as  much  over  deep  snow,  but  it  is  be- 
lieved that  they  would  have  no  difiiculty  in  transporting  half 
this  amount,  which  would  be  sufficient  to  keep  them  from 
starvation  at  least  fifty  days. 

I  am  quite  confident  that  a  party  of  men  who  find  them- 
selves involved  in  deep  snows,  dependent  solely  upon  their  own 
physical  powers,  and  without  beasts  of  burden,  can  prolong  their 
lives  for  a  greater  time,  travel  farther,  and  perform  more  labor 
by  adopting  the  foregoing  suggestions  than  in  any  other  way. 


380  APPENDIX. 

C.  Indian  Signals. 

When  Indians  are  pursued  by  a  large  force,  and  do  not  in- 
tend to  make  resistance,  they  generally  scatter  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, in  order  to  perplex  and  throw  off  those  who  follow  their 
trail,  but  they  have  an  understanding  where  they  are  to  rendez- 
vous in  advance.  Sometimes,  however,  circumstances  may 
arise  during  a  rapid  flight  making  it  necessary  for  them  to 
alter  these  plans,  and  turn  their  course  in  another  direction. 
When  this  happens,  they  are  in  the  habit  of  leaving  behind 
them  some  well-understood  signals  to  indicate  to  their  friends 
in  the  rear  the  change  in  their  movements. 

For  instance,  they  will  sometimes  leave  a  stick  or  other  object 
to  attract  attention,  and  under  this  bury  an  arrow  pointing  in 
the  new  direction  they  intend  to  take.  They  will  then  con- 
tinue on  for  a  time  in  the  course  they  have  been  pursuing,  until 
they  get  upon  hard  ground,  where  it  is  difficult  to  see  their 
tracks,  then  gradually  turn  their  course  in  the  new  direction. 


D.  India-ruhher   Cloak. 

An  India-rubber  cloak  has  been  introduced,  and  can  be  pur- 
chased in  London,  which  strikes  me  as  being  one  of  the  most 
useful  and  convenient  articles  of  camp  equipage  for  a  single 
horseman  or  a  small  party  going  out  into  the  prairies  with  a 
limited  allowance  of  transportation. 

It  consists  of  a  sheet  of  India-rubber  or  gutta-percha  cloth, 
made  into  the  form  of  a  large  cloak,  in  the  centre  of  which  is 
an  elliptical  cylinder  about  eight  inches  in  diameter,  of  the  same 
material,  wrought  into  the  fabric.  When  this  cylinder  is  col- 
lapsed the  garment  may  be  worn  as  a  cloak,  and  aftbrds  ample 
protection  to  the  rider  and  his  horse  against  storms.  It  may 
also  be  used  in  bivouac  by  stretching  it  out  upon  poles  so  as  to 
make  a  good  shelter  for  one  or  two  men ;  but  its  greatest  ad- 
vantage consists  in  the  fact  that,  when  the  cylinder  is  inflated, 


APPENDIX. 


381 


and  the  sides  of  the  cloak  dra^vn  up  around,  it  will  be  found  to 
answer  the  purpose  of  a  small  boat,  with  sufficient  buoyancy 
and  capacity  to  sustain  and  float  with  perfect  safety  the  largest 
man.  The  curvature  of  the  cylinder  is  such  that  it  serves  as  a 
double  keel,  making  the  boat  remarkably  stanch  when  in  the 
water.  The  one  I  have  seen  was  paddled  three  miles  across  a 
lake  with  a  man  weighing  250  pounds  upon  it.  It  is  an  excel- 
lent article  for  duck-hunting  or  fishing  in  the  absence  of  other 
boats,  and,  finally,  it  may  be  used  as  a  bed,  as  when  the  cylin- 
der is  inflated  it  is  very  elastic  and  comfortable  for  this  purpose. 
When  rolled  up  for  transportation  it  occupies  but  a  small  com- 
pass, and  may  be  conveniently  strapped  behind  a  riding-saddle. 

THE    END. 


APK.15.iS61. 


J 


/v 


i.  j\j 


rx. 


u  /v